Steps to Take If You are Injured at Work

Most of us don’t think about the prospect of sustaining an injury when we head out to work in the morning. However, for hundreds of Americans each day, the working day is ruined through an accident or injury that was not their fault. If you work in a risky industry, such as with heavy machinery or other high-risk equipment, then you have likely been trained on what to do to avoid any harm coming to yourself or others. However, workplace accidents can happen in any kind of workplace setting from production lines and construction sites to offices and driving jobs. We’ve listed the steps to take if you are injured whilst at work.

Step #1. Let Your Boss Know:

If you sustain an injury whilst in the workplace, the first thing that you should do is make sure that your boss is aware of the situation. Once they know, they will then be able to offer you advice on company policy concerning the next steps to take, along with documenting any evidence of your injury in the accident book, calling a first aider or the emergency services if needed, and in some cases, taking photographic evidence of your injuries.

Step #2. Speak to a Doctor:

Even if you have only sustained a small injury that you wouldn’t usually seek medical attention for, if you are hoping to claim due to your accident in the workplace, then it’s always best to speak to your doctor. Forgoing the doctor’s visit can lead to complications later on down the line if you are hoping for compensation; oftentimes, lawyers on the side of your employer will interpret not visiting the doctor as a sign that your injury wasn’t really that bad. It’s always best to make sure that everything is on your official medical records, where it cannot be contested.

Step #3. Keep a Diary:

Once you have found a good personal injury lawyer to help with your workplace accident case, they will likely advise you to keep a diary to document how the injury is affecting your day to day life. If you have sustained an injury that has hindered your ability to take part in everyday activities and enjoy the things that you used to before, then documenting all of this down can be very useful since it can later be used as evidence in your favor if the case goes to court. Don’t forget to also keep records of any time that you’ve had to take off work as a result.

Step #4. Be Realistic:

Lastly, it’s important to be realistic when it comes to dealing with your workplace injury case. Before you take the case further, it’s a good idea to speak to an experienced lawyer, since they can help to give you a clearer idea of the type of compensation that you could be owed, and the best ways to go about ensuring that you get the maximum amount.

Have you ever suffered an injury at work? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.