Millions of people are injured at work every year. Falling victim to a slip and fall incident or becoming hurt because of improper health and safety standards is often devastating, and there are plenty of other causal factors too.
Often, these accidents lead to catastrophic consequences where life is altered in such a major way that it may never return to how it was before. If you are a victim of a work-related injury, learn what steps to take and how to secure comfort in post-incident life.
Have a Medical Assessment
Every office, factory, and retail environment should have an assigned first aid worker. This should be the first person on the scene assessing your injuries and providing comfort. If the work first aider is unavailable at the time of the accident, either an ambulance should be called, or an appointment made with your regular doctor as soon as possible.
A first aider is limited in terms of what they can do, as they have no extensive medical training. Therefore, regardless of whether they provide support or not, you should still follow up with your doctor or at the hospital. This will create an important link between the accident and you seeking medical care, which will be useful in the future.
Write Everything Down
When the initial shock has worn off and you feel more like yourself again, it is time to write down every detail that you remember. This is necessary for two reasons. Firstly, it is important that you have a clear head if you decide to move forward with a compensation claim. Injury suits are commonly used to enable anyone in this situation to receive the correct level of support as they navigate their recovery journey. Secondly, so that you can pass it on to an employer if they refuse to create an official log of the accident independently.
Talk to Your Employer
After writing down the facts from the event, it is time to take this information back to your employer and request a formal report be written up for the official record. This should include when and where the accident happened, the events, all the names of people involved and witnesses, and a detailed account of injuries sustained. In rare cases, a business may not comply with this request to protect its reputation. However, this is morally questionable and often illegal.
Collect Evidence
All the above steps count as evidence of what took place. This evidence is a crucial part of making a claim if that is what you decide to do. You have the right to do so if you acquired any manner of injury that impedes your ability to carry out any usual task in daily life such as attending work, looking after yourself or children, and general day-to-day essential routines.
It is especially important if an injury is severe enough to change your quality of life or has significantly impacted your mental health. Evidence comes in all shapes and sizes including photographs, witness details, medical reports, and video surveillance from the scene.
Ask for Witness Support
Witnesses are key to supporting the facts of the case. There are bound to be people who saw the accident happen or were directly involved in the time after it took place. Ask them for consent to record names and statements in order to gather the optimal amount of evidence. Witnesses may be called upon if you pursue a compensation claim, and an employer should never attempt to influence or pressure them in any way.
Keep Track of Life Post-Accident
As well as writing down details of the accident, it is a smart move to document all that transpires afterward too. This includes things like how long you spent in the hospital, the ways your life has been affected, and any future adjustments that need to be made to re-establish well-being and comfort. A doctor involved in your care will be the best person to provide ongoing medical accounts, but these should only be requested when appropriate and if needed.
Appoint an Attorney
Filing a suit against an employer is sometimes the only move you can make to avoid falling into financial destitution and for recovering in terms of well-being too. You will need an attorney with experience and knowledge in personal injury and work-related accidents. A well-established law firm like Ayers, Whitlow & Dressler will talk everything through with you and examine all the evidence of the case.
These facts will be used to determine the best course of action, and ascertain whether there is a real case to be made. In the majority of cases where an injury has happened that led to a period of sickness and rehabilitation, you are entitled to seek compensation for lost wages, medical bills, and the impact it has had on general well-being too. They will assist you in starting the claims process and seeing it through to completion.
Don’t Say the Wrong Thing
Last but not least, do not say anything to your employer that could put your claim in jeopardy. This includes phrases where you accept blame or exempt the company from any fault regarding the accident. These will be used against you, and once something like this has been uttered it is incredibly difficult to row back from it.
Always listen to what your attorney has to say on the matter, and most importantly, once an official claim is launched avoid speaking to them on your own. Some companies may attempt to settle in an HR meeting or by pressuring you to accept responsibility in some way and therefore negate their financial obligations.
Accidents happen, and it is just a part of life. However, when something causes you serious harm at work and you believe it is because of negligence or a lack of care, it is time to take action. You don’t have to be a victim or slave to your injuries because there is support in place. Whatever you are facing, make sure you are doing it with support and financial security.
