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Published On: Fri, Aug 4th, 2017

What To Do If You Are Hurt On The Job

Getting hurt on the job is never a good time.  It helps make the situation a little better when you know what steps you need to take to get the care you need.  Half of the stress of being hurt on the job is missing work.  

The fear of not being able to pay the bills is strong, and some people have no time to be injured and out of work.  Take a few moments to educate yourself on the correct steps to follow if you are injured on the job to ensure you receive the proper compensation.  

photo/ Wolfgang Claussen via pixabay

Notify your employer of the injury

Notify your employer immediately if you are injured on the job.  There is technically a few days of a window to inform your employer, but it is best to document everything.  Notifying your employer will result in an accident report, and place your injury on record for future reference.  

If the injury you acquired has taken time to develop (like carpel tunnel or lung cancer from inhaling toxic agents), it is your responsibility to inform your employer within days of your diagnosis.  Informing your employer gets the ball rolling on your worker’s compensation case.  

Go to the doctor

As soon as an injury occurs, you should be seen by a doctor.  In some states, you are required to go to a specific set of physicians, so check with the Human Resources department before being seen by a doctor.  

The exception to the rule is if you are in need of emergency care.  In the case of severe injury, head straight to the hospital.  Whatever sort of care you receive, make sure to get everything on paper.  

Decide whether or not you need a lawyer

As soon as you are able, it is usually a safe move to consult a lawyer.  There are a million reasons why your worker’s compensation case could get complicated and denied.  A lawyer can make certain that all of the proper procedures are followed, and you receive the compensation you deserve.  

Keep detailed records of time missed from work

The worker’s compensation company will need hard proof of the exact time and wages that were lost due to the injury.  If your injury causes you to miss more than a week of work, then you are entitled to replacement of up to two-thirds of the wages lost.  

Thousand of dollars per year are lost to bad record keeping.  Maintaining excellent documentation of lost time will keep you from losing out on the compensation you are truly entitled.

Keep detailed records of medical costs and care

Make sure your physicians maintain detailed medical records that state something about every aspect of your injury.  The worker’s compensation claim will not cover what is not listed.  If you end up unable to work indefinitely, disability income will be much easier to win with proper records.  

Author: Anna Johansson

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