6 Important Steps to Take After Getting a Personal Injury at Work

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No matter how careful you are at work, accidents can happen and you can get injured. The accident can happen due to the negligence of your employer or other employees, and you deserve fair compensation. If you have a good employer, they can promise to take care of your medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses caused by the injury. But to be on the safe side, you should take the following steps to ensure in case the employer fails to fulfill their part of the deal, you hold them responsible.

Report the Injury to the Employer/Supervisor

When you are injured at work, you should first notify the employer or management. Notify the manager/supervisor about the accident and the injuries you sustained. If you can’t reach or call the manager or supervisor, you should notify your colleagues so they can inform the management. Once the persons in charge get the information, they should provide you with the required documents to fill out and help you with your next move of seeking treatment. If the accident happened and symptoms didn’t show immediately, ensure you inform the management within 30 days after the accident.

Fill Out the Workplace Injury Report

Your manager or supervisor should provide you with a workplace injury report where you should fill out the details of your injury and how the accident happened. If the management doesn’t want you to fill out the injury report book, demand to fill it out, as it can help you when claiming compensation. Once you fill it out, get a copy. Note that some employers or supervisors may tell you it is not necessary, but don’t listen to them. 

Gather Evidence, If You Can

Evidence will come in handy when filing a personal injury claim. Even if you have not hired a personal injury attorney in Chicago, IL, you can collect evidence at the scene of the accident on your own. If you can, take photos and videos of the scene of the accident, highlighting what might have caused the accident. If you can’t, let one of your colleagues help you take the photos and videos. With evidence, convincing the employer to give you fair compensation before you file a formal personal injury claim will be easier.

Get Medical Attention

The next important step is to get medical attention. Go to a reputable medical facility for treatment. Ensure you get the doctor’s report, official medical bill, and receipts. You will need these documents to support your personal injury compensation claim. If you don’t seek medical attention and get a doctor’s report and medical bill/receipts, you will complicate the case for your personal injury attorney in Chicago, IL.

Negotiate with Your Employer

Some people don’t give negotiation a chance when injured at work. If you have the evidence and essential documents to support your compensation claim, your employer will be ready to listen to you. All you need is to calculate the damages and losses caused by the accident, from medical expenses to pain & suffering, and request the figure from the employer. The employer can offer you fair compensation so you can stop filing a formal personal injury claim. If they are not ready to compensate you fairly, proceed to file a claim.

Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer to Help with the Claim

The last step is to file a personal injury compensation claim. It is a complicated process, and you will need a helping hand of a competent personal injury attorney in Chicago, IL. The attorney will review your doctor’s report, injury report, and the evidence. They will also gather more evidence at your workplace and the scene of the accident.

In addition, the attorney will talk to colleagues so that they can get a clear understanding of what happened. They will be able to identify who was negligent and what could have been done to avoid the accident that led to your injury. The attorney will also help you seek specialized treatment at a top-level facility if you have serious injuries. With an attorney on your side, you will focus on your recovery while they handle your case from start to finish. Most importantly, with a competent lawyer on your side, you’ll have a high chance of getting fair compensation.