Injured at work? Reporting it is key.

On-The-Job Injuries

On-the-job injuries can range from a mild nuisance to a life-changing event. No one intends to suffer an injury while working, although the incidence of workplace injuries is startling. While many companies take extensive precautions to prevent such injuries, the simple fact is accidents happen. If you find yourself the victim of an injury on the job, it is important to know what steps to take to protect yourself not only physically from further injury or harm but also from the financial repercussions that could follow.

Familiarize Yourself With Your Employer’s Safety Regulations

It is important that you follow your company’s procedures that may be in place before and following a workplace injury. Be sure to familiarize yourself with their guidelines. Often safety procedures are covered in detail during a new hire orientation and are also typically provided in an employee handbook. Just as it is important to know traffic laws to avoid accidents while driving, it is equally important that you educate yourself on your employer’s safety rules and regulations. By following those rules as much as possible, you eliminate a great deal of risk for personal injury on the job.

Report The Incident Immediately

Perhaps the most important and often overlooked step to ensuring you receive the workers’ compensation you may be entitled to is to report the incident immediately to your employer. This is often a missed step, however, because many employees do not initially see an injury as worth reporting. For example, imagine you are lifting a heavy box at work and feel as if you may have strained your back. Rather than immediately reporting that to your supervisor you decide to wait until severe back pain develops. At that point, it may be too late to seek workers’ compensation benefits from your employer, as the incident was not reported when it first happened. Many companies (particularly larger ones) have designated safety officers in place that handle all injury/accident reports on site. Utilize those individuals or any other supervisors responsible for injury reporting. Do not just assume that your injury is too minimal to report. Report it anyway. Even if you do not end up requiring any medical treatment for it, at least you have protected yourself on the front end by reporting it immediately.

Fight For The Compensation You Deserve

If you have been injured on the job, report it immediately. That is the first step to a successful workers’ compensation claim. After that the waters can get quite treacherous. It is important to have trained professionals on YOUR side that know the waters and fight on your behalf. The attorneys at Mckenzie & Snyder LLP can help you navigate the process and get you the compensation and treatment you have earned.