It might be upsetting and perplexing if you’ve been hurt in a workplace accident. Of course, your injuries will cause you pain and difficulty, but these issues may also raise new concerns, such as how they will impact your life and your ability to earn a living. What should you do then?
To help sort through the clutter, I’ve put this post together.
I’ve outlined actions you can do after your workplace injury in the points below that are both straightforward and constructive. These are meant to aid in your healing and position you in the best possible way should you decide to pursue compensation for your workplace accident subsequently.
Inform Your Manager of the Mishap
The accident must be reported to your management by your company’s accident reporting guidelines.
- Report a workplace accident
- Your employer is required by law to notify the Health and Safety Executive of any significant accidents involving you at work (depending on the precise circumstances and the time that you need off work)
- You must adequately report your workplace injury to avoid violating many organizations’ staff manuals or protocols.
It would be preferable to stay away from the issue of blame at this time. Even if you attribute the accident to yourself or your boss, this does not absolve your employer of legal liability for the mishap. The best people to determine blame for workplace accidents are qualified lawyers with experience determining fault.
Pay Attention to Your Health
You need to have received immediate medical attention from the first responder at your place of employment after the accident. If not, it can be considered negligence on your employer’s part since it is legally required for every workplace to have a first aid kit and a designated first aider. You can consult with personal injury lawyers if there is any serious situation.
Then, as soon as practicable following the accident, you should have a complete evaluation of your workplace injuries performed by a medical professional with the necessary training.
Some injuries may appear mild at first but become more dangerous. For instance, head traumas may not manifest for hours or weeks. Even minor damage without proper care might develop into a chronic illness in the worst scenarios.
The golden rule is prioritizing your health and welfare before anything connected to a potential claim after an accident.
Be Sure to Note Your Accident in the Accident Book
An accident book should be kept in every organization. Due to performance goals to lower workplace accidents and injuries, some companies may hesitate to record an accident in the accident book.
It would help if you did not permit an accident to be unreported in this manner. While some organizations may boast about the number of days without an incident, you shouldn’t allow this to bully you into not reporting your accident.
It’s crucial to report accidents since doing so could prevent similar injuries from occurring.
To have formal confirmation that you tried to report the accident to your employer, you should write or email them if they don’t enter it in the accident book. One of the emails that you’ve sent cannot be deleted by your employer, especially if it came from your email account.
This could be sufficient justification to resign and file a constructive dismissal claim if your employer refuses to enter the accident in the accident book. However, you should seek legal counsel from a knowledgeable employment law solicitor before quitting your job or taking any similar action. A big step is to resign.
Inform Your Coworkers about the Incident and Enlist their Assistance.
Ensure your coworkers are informed of the occurrence if you were working alone during your workplace mishap. Inform your most trusted coworkers, in particular, about your accident. It’s a good idea to inform your coworkers of the incident for two reasons in particular:
- The first goes without saying; you have a moral obligation to inform others about the dangers that contributed to your workplace accident.
- The second will make it far more challenging for your employer or their insurance to contest that the accident happened, which, regrettably, can happen rather frequently.
Additionally, you might miss work following your accident depending on your injuries. In reaction to your workplace injuries, an employer may modify the tools and operational procedures during this immediate post-accident time. Although this is frequently done to increase safety, it could also be done to ‘cover up’ what happened.
Additionally, if your employer decides to conduct an accident inquiry at this time, your account of the events may be “missed” while you are abroad.
It is crucial to remember that employers can place a lot of pressure on their staff. They could convince more susceptible employees to dispute the accident’s occurrence. The only approach to stop your employer or their insurance from denying the existence of your workplace accident is to make sure there is “bulletproof evidence,” as insufficient as that sounds.
Due to all of this, having a few reliable coworkers on your side can be very beneficial. They can document the incident’s exact circumstances and inform you of any adjustments your employer might make while you’re away.
Record and Photograph Evidence
This is related to the earlier statement concerning “bulletproof evidence.”
As soon as it is safe to do so, photos and videos taken at the accident scene might serve as solid evidence. If you decide to pursue compensation in the future, it can bolster your case or provide you ammunition to refute any unfounded claims an unethical employer might level against you.
You ought to behave like a crime scene investigator after a workplace accident!
Remember that there is always more proof. Consider recording it if you need clarification. You won’t face any criticism from an attorney if you register numerous images or recordings of the accident scene. It’s a wise decision to make.
How Can a Lawyer for Workers’ Compensation Assist you?
You can petition a rejected workers’ compensation claim or get assistance from a workers’ compensation lawyer in filling out the documentation needed for your claim. While some people can handle the initial claim-filing process independently, doing so might be tricky regarding the appeals process. Fortunately, legal assistance is accessible, so you do not need to go through the process alone. A workers’ compensation attorney can assist you at every stage.
Workers’ compensation attorneys can support your claim by demonstrating that your injuries were from a working accident and were unrelated to any underlying medical conditions you may have. A lawyer can assist you in taking legal action if your employer retaliates against you after you file a workers’ compensation claim. Because of an on-the-work accident, you shouldn’t be concerned about losing your job, wages, or seniority.
