An injury can be fatal. Some injuries can leave you disabled while other injuries can be minor. However, you can get appropriate compensation for you to continue making ends meet after a workplace injury. Sadly very many workers do not know they have a right to compensation when they are injured at work. While some know their employers should compensate them, they do not know the steps to take to facilitate successful compensation. Should you be injured at work, you must understand your responsibilities and rights. Not sure how to handle an injury? Here are some pointers:
1. Don’t Delay to Report Your Injury
Immediately you are injured while at work, report the accident to your employer and ensure the employer records the injury. Each state requires workers to give notice of any injury within a specific number of days after the injury. These deadlines vary from one state to the other. Unfortunately, if you do not report the injury within the set timelines, you can risk failing to receive compensation.
Similarly, some states require you to file a workers’ compensation claim form by a specific date for your compensation claim process to start. Based on the professional legal advice on this website https://www.sawayalaw.com/, you should inform your injury attorney of the incident for the lawyer to start your compensation claim process. Ensure you get an experienced lawyer who has handled similar cases before. This will increase your chances of getting fair compensation in the shortest time possible.
2. Seek Medical Care
After reporting your accident to your injury attorney and employer, seek immediate medical care. Immediate medical attention can enhance your recovery and fasten your full recovery. Remember to keep evidence of the injury. You can take photos of the environment and tools you were using at the time of injury. Take photos of your injury wounds themselves. You can ask some colleagues to help you gather the evidence.
Further, ensure the first doctor to whom you report your injury notes all the details of the accident. Let the doctor document every physical and possible unseen damages as they shall form part of the compensation claim. Note that if you delay seeking the relevant medical attention your insurance company might dismiss your compensation claim. The insurance company can argue that your injury was not serious to qualify for compensation. They can also claim that you were not injured at all.
Also, be careful with the doctor you approach for treatment. Avoid going for doctors who are on good terms with your insurance company. Personal conflict may arise and you may end up disadvantaged. Remember your insurance company is a more powerful entity than you. They can liaise with your doctor and work against you. You must however confirm your state laws to ascertain that your state allows injured persons to choose their preferred doctors.
3. Know Your Available Compensation
Different states have different packages for their injured workers. You must therefore understand the specific compensation packages that your state has before filing a compensation claim. However, regardless of your state of residence, you are entitled to temporary disability benefits throughout your treatment and recovery journey. Your employer must continue to pay you until you recover fully.
Likewise, you are entitled to permanent disability benefits. Your insurance company should therefore compensate you for all the lasting physicals damages you suffer because of the work injury. Your insurance company must also facilitate all your necessary medical care needs. This facilitation must be reasonable too.
After a workplace injury, your employer through your insurance company should accord you a vocational rehabilitation; they should help you find another job that you can manage even with your physical limitations. The employer should also offer you job retraining and possibly employ you back but considering your limitations.
Additionally, your insurance company should compensate you for the expenses you incur as you travel to the hospital and any other travel costs related to the workplace injury. Beware that insurance companies are profit-making entities. They might not inform you about all the benefits you must enjoy. Always consult your injury attorney for guidance on how to enjoy these compensation packages.
An injury can be traumatizing. It can be more traumatizing when an injury leaves you with permanent disabilities and you do not know how to go about the compensation-seeking process. So ensure you report the injury to your employer, insurance company and your injury attorney as soon as possible. Gather all the relevant details of the accident as they can serve as proof at the court. Also, know which compensation packages your insurance company owes you lest they take advantage of your lack of awareness. Seek medical care as this can help you recover faster and be able to pursue your compensation.