You may think that it could never happen to you but you would be surprised at just how many accidents take place in the work place each and every year. I was speaking recently to expert personal injury lawyer Jeffrey Glassman who was telling me about the sheer number of cases which came across his desk in the last twelve months. Unfortunately for many people who get injured at work in an incident that wasn’t their fault, they cannot claim for compensation because they simply don’t have the information together in order to so.
Although you might not want to think about it, accidents happen and it is important that you are prepared with what you should do if an accident takes place. Here is a quick step-by-step guide on what you should do if the worst happens.
First Step
The important first step that you need to do is to fill out an accident report, this should have all of the information about exactly what happened, where within the work place it happened and who was there to see it. Many businesses will have a book with accident report sheets in it which make it easy to fill out. If the company your working for does not have dedicated sheets to fill out then you should fill out all of the details yourself and then have it signed by a manager on duty or a senior member of staff.
Go To The Doctor
It is important that you get a thorough medical check up after an accident, even if you feel as though nothing is wrong, there are some injuries and symptoms which can take some days to appear. Whiplash and concussion are common injures which can have prolonged effects but may not appear until some days after the event, for this reason you should get fully checked out by a medical professional.
Something else that makes sense when you go to the doctor is to have a list of professionals whom you trust for specific sorts of injuries. For example, if you break a bone, have muscle issues, or have nerve issues, you’re going to want the services of a practitioner such as this orthopedic surgeon in Holmdel, NJ. However, if you sustain an ear infection from some sort of high-powered ventilation system you’re cleaning, then you might want to go to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) doctor. Figure out a few different practitioners specializing in different fields whom you trust, and who have a good reputation throughout your community. Have them available to examine you after an injury at work. You can go with the company doctor, but you’re much wiser to have a vetted external solution readily available who can give you the records directly should they be legally necessary later.
Report Your Injuries
If you have sustained injuries then you should notify your place of work, get a note from the doctor detailing your injuries and any medication which has been subscribed and have this filed with your accident report and witness statements.
Consult the Union
If you are part of a union then it will be worth consulting them to find out what your best course of action will be going forward. Your union will have people specialize in your particular industry and their advice and support will be required.
Contact a Lawyer
If the accident was not your fault then you should contact a lawyer to bring about a law suit against your employer. Not only will action against your place of work help you to receive some compensation for an accident caused which had nothing to do with you, it can also help to highlight a problem which, when fixed, can help to avoid the same thing happening to somebody else in the future.