What To Do If You’ve Been Injured at Work
Employers are legally required to provide their workers with a relatively safe work environment. Even in the case of construction or oil rig sites, which are among some of the riskiest workplaces, employers must go to great lengths to make these environments as safe as possible by properly training their employees and supplying safety equipment necessary for efficient work. Unfortunately, employers do not always fulfill their duty of keeping their workers safe, and the result can be devastating. Sometimes, even when employers do take the proper safety precautions, accidents can still happen. Workplace injuries can occur in any setting, but no matter your occupation, the steps to take following your injury are relatively the same. If you are injured in the workplace, here are a few steps you should follow:
- Seek medical care. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may have needed to call 911 to have an ambulance come to the scene. It is important to make your health and well-being your top priority before you start thinking about things like liability, compensation, and legal claims, but this priority comes at an unfair financial cost to you.
- Report your injury to a supervisor. Once your injuries have been tended to, the most important step is to notify a supervisor of the accident. Be sure to do this as soon as you can, so that you do not miss the legal deadline and lose any rights. While some states allow for verbal notification of a workplace injury, many states require documentation in writing. To be safe, it is best to report your injury in writing to your supervisor.
- File a worker’s compensation claim. Once your employer learns of your accident, they must offer you a claim form immediately. Be sure to complete all sections of the form and keep a copy for your personal records.
- Hire a lawyer. Depending on the complexity of your case, you may want to find an attorney. Having a professional lawyer working on your case may greatly increase the compensation you receive.
The lawyers at Robert Wilson & Associates have decades of experience working on workplace injury cases. Our lawyers understand the ins and outs of these cases and know the tactics that companies will use to try and lower your financial compensation. Our legal team is here to help, no matter how or where your workplace accident occurred. Contact us today by calling (612) 334-3444.