You had a major incident at your workplace that left you unable to work for several days and also put you at risk of never being able to perform the job equally well. While the company did apologize for its fault in the incident, it didn’t offer anything else. Should you leave it at that?
No, according to most worker compensation lawyers. Each year, thousands of such incidents happen where the employer tries to get out of it without paying the employee their due compensation. However, there are a few steps that you can follow in order to fully claim your compensation and benefit from the rights ordained to you through the laws of this country.
- Report the Injury to Your Supervisor Immediately
This step comes before any other when it comes to your worker’s compensation claim. You need to report the incident in full detail to your supervisor or safety officer. If possible, a written report of the injury and event should also be filed.
If you fail to report the incident in a timely manner, it might decrease the chances of you getting your full workers compensation later on during the process.
- Seek Medical Attention as Soon As You Can
Another important step is seeking medical attention as soon as you are done with the basic filing of the report. Not only is it important for your personal health, but it also strengthens your claim of the injury, and the doctor can further verify the extent of the injury and how it needs to be handled.
Moreover, if the injury leaves you unable to work completely or partially, that can be clarified as well, and you can discuss how your employer can manage your workflow to account for any restrictions, in the following days.
- Know Your Rights
Most companies have a large number of benefits and compensations available for employees that suffer an injury at the workplace. Apart from some compensation that may be described by your state laws, other benefits might be listed in your work contract or company by-laws. It’s always helpful to know what limitations and allowances are present in your specific case, so you can take the right steps forward.
- Get A Lawyer
Going hand in hand with the last step, it’s crucial that you have a competent personal injury attorney to assist you in the process.
While you can attempt to figure out the state’s laws and what they entail, it’s necessary that you have an experienced legal team at your disposal to help you through the process. Your company and the insurance team will have a team themselves, so it’s only fit that you have one yourself.
You could represent yourself in a court case, but it’s easier and more effective to have a legal team. Not only will they help you in a court case, but also dispense valuable advice on how you should go about claiming your worker compensation overall.
These were some important steps that you should undertake in order to claim your compensation in an effective and hassle-free manner.
