You’ve Suffered a Personal Injury at Work: What next?
Accidents are not uncommon at work; they happen almost every day. The challenge has been knowing what to do after you suffer a personal injury. First, you get confused about who is responsible for your safety between you and the employer.
But knowing your rights and those of your employer will help you find answers quickly. Also, it will help prevent future misunderstandings when injuries occur.
What steps should you take after a personal injury
The employee rights when they suffer personal injuries are the same in all industries. Therefore, whether you are an accountant, construction site worker, or private caregiver, your rights are all the same. Here are some steps you can take after suffering an injury at work.
- Get medical attention
The first step towards seeking justice is getting attended to by a medic. Remember, your health is crucial even as you seek compensation from your employer. However, some employers may try to prevent you from seeking health services, but you can report the matter as a breach of the law.
- Contact an attorney
Next, you should contact an attorney to help you with the next steps. Attorneys play a significant role in this process. If, for example, you contact riverside lawyers, they will listen to your case and advise whether you have a valid personal injury claim.
- Take part in the investigation
It is vital to work with your attorney closely. The attorney will seek to determine the grounds on which he or she will argue your case. However, they can only do this with your support and using the information you give. Therefore, make sure you cooperate with them to ensure you get maximum compensation.
- Discuss the kind of compensation you will get
There are several types of compensation you may receive from your employer. However, it will take some consideration before you come up with the right kind of compensation. Your lawyers will help you through the process, but you must be ready to discuss it with them.
Things to know about personal injury claims
Personal injury claims involve seeking compensation for accidents that result in injuries. However, there are many things that you should understand about such claims before you file one. Let us look at the essential things to note:
- Not every injury equates to a claim
Just because you got injured on the job does not mean you can file a claim. There have to be legal grounds on which you can file a claim. Mostly, personal injury claims get filed with negligence as the legal theory. However, you have to prove that the defendant’s actions directly caused your injury.
- There are various personal injury cases.
Most people relate personal injury claims to car accidents. However, several personal injury cases may lead to the filing of a personal injury claim. They include assault, animal bites, medical malpractice, and many more.
- You can pursue a claim even if you’re partially at fault.
Several states allow victims to get compensated even if they contributed to an accident. However, they will have to find the degree of involvement you had in causing the accident. Your compensation will get reduced by the percentage you contributed.
- You may have limited time to pursue a claim.
If injured, you may have only a specific amount of time to report your case. Failure in doing so may make the case become null, and thus you will not get compensated. Most states allow up to 3 years for injured individuals to bring forth their claims.
How do you file a workers’ compensation claim?
Immediately after an injury, you have to notify your employer. They then will provide you with the necessary claim forms to fill in details of the accident and injury. After filling and duly signing, you should return the claim form to your employer.
Your employer will complete the employee details sections. They then will send it to the workers’ compensation insurance to claim your benefits. You will get a response within 14 days; if not, you should follow up with the insurer.
Conclusion
Work injuries may seem so minor, yet they can hinder you from service delivery. Therefore, it is essential to seek a path to recovery. While you do that, you should also claim your compensation benefits depending on how the accident occurred.
