You’ve Been Injured At Work. Now What?

Slips and falls are common in the workplace, but they can sometimes lead to serious injury.

Repetitive motion injuries also occur frequently, but are often overlooked. An injury in the workplace can happen to anyone at any time, so it’s important to know what your legal rights are should an injury occur. So you’ve been injured at work…Now what?

Depending on the circumstances of the injury, you may need to engage the services of an injury lawyer.

If you talk to any injury lawyer, they can tell you that workplace injuries are a lot more common than you imagine. Each year, up to 6 million workers in the US suffer work-related injuries. This is a staggering statistic, so if an injury should befall you at work, you want to ensure that your rights are protected.

If you are injured on the job:

1. Report the injury immediately

Employees that suffer an injury on the job must make a report to their immediate supervisor without delay.  The report must be made within a specific time frame, but an injury lawyer can advise you accordingly.  Failure to make a report can adversely impact your eligibility for benefits.

2. Seek medical attention

Once an injury has been reported, your employer must ensure that you get the necessary medical attention. The company’s insurance carrier must also be notified.  An injury lawyer can provide you with details regarding the extent of the medical benefits available to you.

3. Find out what your rights are

Employees that get injured on the job are entitled to workers’ compensation, but you may need the services of an injury lawyer to help you get all the benefits you deserve. At the outset, your injury lawyer can help you understand your entitlements, since these vary across states. The injury lawyer can therefore help to ensure that you get the full medical coverage and other benefits laid down by law.

Having an injury lawyer can be a real asset, especially for cases that are not clear-cut. This is especially important when injuries occur ‘off-site.’ In these circumstances, an injury lawyer will let you know your rights as they relate to medical expenses for doctor visits, prescriptions, or any surgery that may be applicable.

Should your case end up in court, the experience and assistance of your injury lawyer will be needed to make sure that your legal rights are not infringed.If you need to sue for additional damages, an injury lawyer can take up the case for you in civil court.

If you are injured on the job but your employer does not have workers compensation insurance, an injury lawyer can offer advice about filing a personal injury lawsuit against your employer.

If you’re injured on the job and think you may need an injury lawyer, choose one that is knowledgeable and also has your interests at heart. Without an injury lawyer, you may not get all the benefits you are entitled to.