Accidents can happen at any time. If you have been involved in one then you need to take immediate action in order to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. Compensation is paid to people who’re so seriously injured in accidents that their lives are irrevocably changed. You must ensure if you do have a work-related accident that you take steps to claim compensation right away. The longer you wait, the less likely it is that you’ll be able to prove your injuries and qualify for compensation. The statute of limitations also needs to be factored in as in most states, victims of accidents have two years to make claims and no longer.
Here are eight steps you should take after a work-related accident so that you get the compensation you deserve.
Legal Assistance
If you take only one thing away from this post, let it be this: after a workplace accident, it is absolutely vital that you get in touch with a lawyer. Compensation will not be achievable if you don’t have a lawyer’s help. Specifically, you need a workers’ comp lawyer to help you. No other category of personal injury attorney will be as useful to your case as one of these. It does need to be noted that to find such an attorney, reviews need to be taken into consideration. Until you have read a legal professional’s reviews you cannot possibly know how experienced and valuable they are.
As well as reviews you also need to think about your chosen lawyer’s preferred method of payment. Most personal injury lawyers work on no-win-no-fee bases, meaning their clients only pay them if they win. You should try to find such an attorney, especially if you are on a budget. Remember though: no-win-no-fee lawyers take a percentage of your winnings rather than a fixed fee.
Taking Evidence
If you have been injured in a workplace accident then you need evidence to support your claim. As unfortunate as it is to say, many employers actively cover up injuries after they occur to save themselves money. Don’t rely on your employer to provide CCTV footage for example once you have made a claim. If you can take photographic and video evidence of your injury on the scene of the accident as well as photos or footage of the thing that caused your injury.
Medical Help
Depending on the severity of your injury or injuries you might need a medical professional’s help. In all truth, it is a good idea to go to a doctor regardless of the severity of your injuries as they can give you a medical certificate, verifying your injuries were sustained in the manner you have described to your attorney. A medical certificate is one of the best ways of proving that injuries happened the way you said they did, solidifying and strengthening your case and preventing insurers or attorneys from being able to doubt your statement.
Notifying Employer
After an accident, it is sensible to notify your employers. Not telling your employers about how your accident occurred (and when) could lead to you losing your job. In all truth, no employer is going to retain a staff member who’s making a compensation claim against them, but you are guaranteed to lose your job if the first they hear of your injuries is after you have made a claim. Make sure that you tell them once you have enough evidence though. Don’t do it before you have evidence as they could then get rid of any that is remaining.
Making Claim
Once you have found a reliable lawyer to work with and acquired evidence, the next step is to make a claim. Making a claim is a relatively straightforward process. All you need to do is get in touch with the lawyer that you have hired and tell them that you want them to get in touch with your employer and their insurance company. If your employer’s insurance company won’t pay out then you need to give your lawyer permission to take them to court. In court, you can sue your employer for a lot of money and make yourself an absolute fortune.
Warning Others
You should also take the initiative to warn your fellow employees about the thing that injured you, especially if your employer hasn’t taken steps to fix whatever problem hurt you. Not warning others means in some ways that it is your fault if anybody else gets hurt. If you are no longer at work and have not got the option to talk to fellow employees, get in touch with your company’s HR department and notify them. Keep a record of your interactions with them so that you can help somebody else’s claim if they get hurt in the same way.
Disability Benefits
A lot of people who’re unable to work do not have enough money saved up to support themselves. If you are one such individual then the best thing you can do is get in touch with your lawyer and ask them to help you apply for disability benefits. Disability benefits are very easy to apply for providing you have an expert’s help. Independently you might find the process somewhat difficult though. Most personal injury lawyers include disability benefit applications in the cost of their services so if you do need this kind of support don’t hesitate to ask for it.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is something that a lot of people who’re injured in workplace accidents go for. If you are insured then your insurance company will provide it for you. If you are not insured then you can pay for it privately. You will be compensated for the costs of physical therapy after you receive your payout. The attorney you hire will notify your employer’s insurance company of the fact that they have to pay for your physical therapy costs (and your other medical bills) when they are working out a settlement amount.
Workplace injuries can be stressful. Not only do individuals who sustain them often go on to lose their jobs, but they also end up broke. It is important you handle a workplace injury according to the instructions given in this post, so you can get compensation quickly and effectively
