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When you suffer an injury at work, making sure it gets reported as fast as possible can mean the difference between receiving workers’ compensation or having your claim denied. Although your employer will provide workers’ comp coverage for their employees, this does not mean they will be there to assist you each step of the way. To make sure you follow the guidelines associated with reporting your work-related accident, always keep these tips in mind.
Don’t Delay
First, never be hesitant about reporting any accident you suffer that is work-related. In most instances, you will have no more than 30 days from the date of your accident or the date a doctor confirms you suffered a work-related accident and were injured. In fact, some states only give workers 10 days to report their accidents, so don’t procrastinate.
Inform Your Immediate Supervisor
If possible, make sure you report your workplace accident to your immediate supervisor. If they are not available, report your accident to a member of your company’s management team. Once you report your accident, management will then be obligated to investigate what happened and complete an accident report, which may contain details you will need to be successful at gaining workers’ compensation.
Hire an Attorney
One of the biggest mistakes injured workers make after suffering work-related accidents is failing to hire a work injury attorney to handle their case. If you don’t have a lawyer on your side as quickly as possible, your employer and their insurance company will use this to their advantage to intimidate you and deny your claim. Since it is important that you report your accident as fast as possible, remember that the quicker you hire an attorney, the quicker they can begin gathering evidence and building a case that will be very winnable.
File a Formal Claim
Never assume that simply reporting your injury to your supervisor that means you have actually filed a workers’ comp claim because it does not. To receive compensation for your accident and injuries, you will actually need to file a formal claim through your employer. Even if your employer is unhappy about you filing a claim, they are required by law to provide you with the necessary paperwork and truthfully answer any questions you have about the process.
Though it can be a long, intimidating, and sometimes frustrating process for you as an injured employee, reporting your workplace accident per the guidelines discussed here will increase the chances you will receive the compensation you need as your injuries heal.
