Did you know that, according to the National Safety Council (NSC), 25,000 slips, trips, and falls happen every day, and IBIS World Research reveals that there are as many as 45,678 separate American businesses devoted to personal injury law? Employees need to handle work-related injuries and accidents with extreme care. What should workers know before filing injury claims, and when is it appropriate to hire a serious injury attorney?
Report Injuries Immediately
Defend your rights as an employee by reporting accidents and injuries as soon as possible. Reporting injures belatedly only complicates things. Employees may no longer show physical symptoms, and delaying reports may cause employers and courts to question the severity of a particular claim. Resource Nation, moreover, recommends reporting all injuries and accidents, including major and minor ones. The reason? The firm reminds workers that minor injuries can be indicative of larger problems. Small scraps and bruises may be early indications of a greater problem. Low level pain, for example, may precede a full-out lifting or strain injury.
Keep a Paper Trail
Just two years ago, in 2011, the healthcare industry lost over 2 million work days to on-the-job injuries. Another critical step to filing a work-related injury claim is keeping a paper trail. Ask for a copy of the initial report, and keep any related receipts (receipts for health care, etc.). In today’s digital world, if all else fails, ask for an e-mail receipt with an official letterhead or contact information, print it, and keep it for your records.
Team Up With a Lawyer
Workplace injuries can be especially delicate. It is smart, then, to consider seeking legal counsel from a personal injury accident lawyer. Lawyers will help you answer difficult questions like, what is unfair dismissal, or what are my rights as a pregnant employee? Personally injury lawyers also prove significant harm, and (when necessary) defend their clients in a court of law.
Work-related injury claims can get messy. Cover all of your bases by reporting any accidents and injuries right away, keeping an organized paper trail, and teaming up with a personal injury accident lawyer. Helpful research also found here.