The workplace is supposed to be a productive setting where employees need to never feel unsafe. Despite that, workplace injuries can and do happen. In one year alone, 2.8 million non-fatal workplace injuries or illnesses were reported by private insurance firms.
Should you be subject to a workplace injury or illness, here are the steps that you need to take in order to ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve.
1. Report the Accident as Soon as Possible
The first step is always to report the incident to your employer immediately. Even if you don’t think that you’ve been injured in an accident, reporting the event now can protect your rights later should complications manifest themselves.
In the majority of states, employers are required to pay into workers’ compensation insurance. This is a no-fault system that is meant to provide benefits to incapacitated workers while protecting employers from lawsuits. Once your incident is reported, your employer will instigate the compensation process to get you the benefits that you need.
Now you don’t actually need to accept the terms of workers’ compensation, and we’ll explain later why some do not. But whatever the case, reporting the incident immediately can help protect your legal options.
2. Seek Medical Attention
How quickly you need medical attention will depend on the severity of the injury. If you feel that it’s necessary, head to the emergency room without hesitation. But if an injury is not severe, your employer might refer you to a designated first-aid provider on-site.
If you opt for the latter and they don’t provide sufficient treatment, you’re entitled under workers’ compensation laws to seek a second opinion. You may have to pay out-of-pocket, but you can claim it back later.
If you opt not to accept workers’ compensation, visiting a doctor is equally important, as their appraisal will be vital in documenting your injuries.
3. Choosing Not to Report
There are several drawbacks to taking the worker’s compensation. The first, as alluded to, is that you surrender your right to sue your employer for unsafe working conditions. Likewise, you can’t sue for pain and suffering, either.
And in most states, worker’s compensation does not pay out the full value of your lost wages. However, many injured workers accept these terms because they can’t afford to go without income during could be a protracted legal battle.
The decision to pursue legal action needs to be made early before your employer can pressure you into signing the workers’ compensation paperwork. Instead, seek an attorney for slip and fall or similar accidents.
They’ll conduct an investigation, gather evidence and statements from the accident, and pressure compensation that can be substantially in excess of what you’d be entitled to under workers’ compensation.
An attorney may also prove useful even if you opt to accept compensation. The insurer has a vested interest in paying out as little as possible and will attempt to find any pretext to do just that. Hiring a lawyer can protect your benefits and your interests from them.
Getting What You Are Owed After a Workplace Injury
A sudden accident or illness is always a frightening and stressful experience. Especially when it happens in a place where you spend so much time and should have a reasonable expectation of safety.
That’s why it’s important to remember these steps should you experience a workplace injury. In the heat of the moment, it can be easy for an unscrupulous insurer to take advantage of the situation and decline to pay you what you are owed. Or for a negligent employer to convince you to forgo what you’re owed at their expense.
Hopefully, you’ll never need to use this advice. But a workplace accident isn’t the only financial emergency that can strike when you least expect it. To help ensure your financial wellbeing for years to come, be sure to keep up with all of our latest business and finance news and views.
