Hurt on the Job? Follow These 5 Important Steps

By Hayhurst Law

Suffering a workplace injury can be just as financially troubling as it is physically painful. If you’re not careful, you could end up having to not only lose out on your wage earnings but will have to cover your own medical expenses, as well.

In 2016, there were approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses. If you’re involved in any kind of workplace injury, in order to ensure that you’re getting the justice and restitution you deserve, you need to be aware of the necessary steps. Here are a few things you must do if you have been hurt on the job:

1. Report your injury right away — You need to report whatever injury you suffered to your supervisor as soon as possible. If you don’t clearly indicate that the injury was caused by work, you could end up losing out on potential restitutions down the line.
2. File a Workers’ Compensation Claim — It is important, and in most instances, required that you file a Workers’ Compensation insurance claim.  Some employers will attempt to persuade you not to file a claim — this is not ok and may be a violation of the law.  Always file a claim.
3. Get a copy of the incident report — You’re going to need to acquire an exact copy of the incident or accident report and keep it in a safe place. Keep it for your files but you will likely have to present it if your workplace injury case ever makes it to court. Additionally, it’s just as important to keep notes on the injury and everything that happened afterward.
4. Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer — Perhaps the most important step after dealing with an on the job injury is to get in touch with a trusted personal injury lawyer. These attorneys can help you every step of the way and make sure that you are back on your feet and out of financial and legal trouble as soon as possible.
5. Follow all medical directions — Once you seek medical treatment, it’s best to follow all the doctor’s instructions. If you do not, your employer could potentially argue that you intentionally chose not to get proper care just so you could miss work.

If you have been hurt on the job and are in need of workers compensation assistance or want to learn more about personal injury laws, it’s time to give Hayhurst Law a call.

Hurt on the Job? Follow These 5 Important Steps

By Hayhurst Law

Suffering a workplace injury can be just as financially troubling as it is physically painful. If you’re not careful, you could end up having to not only lose out on your wage earnings but will have to cover your own medical expenses, as well.

In 2016, there were approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses. If you’re involved in any kind of workplace injury, in order to ensure that you’re getting the justice and restitution you deserve, you need to be aware of the necessary steps. Here are a few things you must do if you have been hurt on the job:

1. Report your injury right away — You need to report whatever injury you suffered to your supervisor as soon as possible. If you don’t clearly indicate that the injury was caused by work, you could end up losing out on potential restitutions down the line.
2. File a Workers’ Compensation Claim — It is important, and in most instances, required that you file a Workers’ Compensation insurance claim.  Some employers will attempt to persuade you not to file a claim — this is not ok and may be a violation of the law.  Always file a claim.
3. Get a copy of the incident report — You’re going to need to acquire an exact copy of the incident or accident report and keep it in a safe place. Keep it for your files but you will likely have to present it if your workplace injury case ever makes it to court. Additionally, it’s just as important to keep notes on the injury and everything that happened afterward.
4. Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer — Perhaps the most important step after dealing with an on the job injury is to get in touch with a trusted personal injury lawyer. These attorneys can help you every step of the way and make sure that you are back on your feet and out of financial and legal trouble as soon as possible.
5. Follow all medical directions — Once you seek medical treatment, it’s best to follow all the doctor’s instructions. If you do not, your employer could potentially argue that you intentionally chose not to get proper care just so you could miss work.

If you have been hurt on the job and are in need of workers compensation assistance or want to learn more about personal injury laws, it’s time to give Hayhurst Law a call.