Every year, thousands of people are injured at work, often through no fault of their own. In fact, a recent report found that 2.8 out of every 100 US workers are injured in workplace accidents every year.
While both employers and employees should make concentrated efforts to prevent accidents, it’s equally crucial that you know what to do if you sustain an injury at work.
File an accident report ASAP.
While your main focus after getting injured at work should be seeking medical attention, you should also ensure that you file an accident report as soon as possible. This serves many different purposes. For example, not only will it provide you with useful evidence when seeking compensation, but it will also help prevent future accidents by highlighting any mistakes or omissions in your employer’s health and safety policies.
Try to include the following information in your accident report:
- Date/Time of accident
- A brief summary of what happened
- Details relating to injuries
- Names of any of these involved, including eyewitnesses
Reach out to a lawyer you can trust.
Being involved in a workplace accident often means that you need to take time off work or seek out medical attention – both of which can impact your personal finances. As such, it’s important that in the weeks following your accident, you reach out to a personal injury lawyer. This will improve the chances of you receiving the compensation you deserve.
While hiring a lawyer can be daunting, there are many steps you can take to ensure that you are hiring a legal professional you can trust. Check out previous reviews or their track record of success. If English is not your first language, you may also want to work with a lawyer who speaks your language, especially as the legal system is hard to navigate. For example, Spanish speakers could seek support from a member of the team at RG Injury Law (www.rginjurylaw.com/abogados-de-lesiones-personales-que-hablan-espanol/).
Focus on recovery.
Once you have kickstarted the legal process, it’s time to turn your attention back to your recovery. Be sure to follow all of the advice given to you by healthcare professionals. For example, if you have been told to rest for 2-4 weeks, make sure that you abide by this, even if you begin to feel better. Getting back into your normal routine before you are actually ready could worsen your injuries, bringing you right back to the starting point again.
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During this time, you should also make sure that you address the mental impact that the accident has had on you. For example, you may be experiencing heightened anxiety when thinking about returning to work. There are many ways in which you could deal with the emotional fallout of your accident, such as by speaking to a therapist or even your friends and family.
Working to properly process these feelings will ease the transition back to work and provide you with the sense of inner peace you need.
