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When your family member is affected by a work injury, you empathize with them and hope that they get well as soon as possible. Other than feeling sorry, you need to help him or her in the recovery journey. You may need to provide emotional, spiritual and physical support so you need to be prepared. How can you assist a family member with a work injury? Here are a few tips.
Be There for Them
During recovery, your family member will go through a lot of emotions. You will most likely be dealing with phases of anxiety, depression and guilt. You need to be there for them on every step of the way. Listen to them as they complain about the injury, give advice when you can and reassure them frequently. By feeling that someone cares about them, an injured person will have the willingness to get better. This willingness plays a crucial role in recovery and the ability to move on.
Being there for someone means sacrificing your time to stay with them. Visit them in hospital and home to see how well they are doing. When there, talk to them so as to help them forget about their suffering. Share joyous stories that make them want to get well as soon as possible.
Help Them Move
Most work-related injuries result in pain. This pain may affect muscles and limbs making it difficult for one to move around. If this is the case with your loved one, you need to help them move from one place to the other. This may be from the hospital bed to the bathroom or from the bedroom to the garden after discharge from the hospital. You may need to provide a little support or fully carry the person depending on the degree of injury. While some injuries will cause temporary mobility issues, others will do permanent damage. It is important to understand what you are dealing with. Make appropriate plans such as getting a wheelchair if necessary.
Seek Healthcare
The only people who can make one better after a work injury are healthcare providers. Anyone injured at work should be taken to hospital as soon as possible. While there, ensure that he or she gets the best care. Remind him or her to listen to the doctor and take their medications.
If doctor appointments are necessary, ensure that the patient attends all the sessions. Also help with any recommended home activities such as exercises.
Get Justice
All employers should comply with the set workers safety rules and regulations. The fact that your loved one got injured in the workplace means that something is amiss. Only legal action can pinpoint this. After determining this, a lawyer will help you get the compensation your loved one deserves.
Talk to a qualified workers’ compensation attorney who will take care of all the legal issues while your family member concentrates on getting better. With such an attorney on your case, your family member stands the chance of being compensated for medical bills and lost wages among other benefits.
Financial Support
Even as your chosen attorney works on getting work injury compensation, there are some things that cannot wait. Things like utility bills and children school fees need to be paid in time. It is your duty as a family to take charge at this time when your loved one cannot. By taking care of his or her financial obligations, one can have peace of mind which is very important in quick recoveries.
If you are unable to foot the bills alone, do not be scared to ask for help from other family members. Most will be willing to help.
As you take care of the bills, do not neglect their home and family. Ensure the home is kept neat, pets are fed and children are well taken care of.
Bottom Line
Picture this, what if you were the one who was injured? What would you want your family members to do for you? These are the things you need to do for the injured person. Also ask for help with the above actions from other family members. Trying to do all the above plus everything you need to do for your life may be too much. Do what you can wholeheartedly and get help when you can.
