Workplace injuries are very common no matter whether you are in a very comfortable corner of your office or hauling cement. It has been reported that every seven seconds, a worker faces injuries in the workplace which collectively make up for 4.5 million per year. Getting injured is an unforeseen thing that doesn’t come invited. The thing which matters a lot is your responsibility to minimize the effect of injury and other losses related to your health. This action makes a huge difference in your speedy recovery while getting the needed care. Injured on the job? Here are some important actions you need to take immediately to deal with such a situation in the workplace.
Inform Your Supervisor/Employer
This is a very important thing to do. Make your injury known to the person you are working for as soon as possible. Informing your employer about your injury doesn’t mean that you should waste critical time looking for your supervisor especially when you are suffering from a serious injury. But it’s better to let someone in your company be aware of your injury. If your injury is mild or moderate then you must inform your supervisor about it and then go for the necessary medical care. In case of severe injury when you are unable to inform anybody, so in such a situation, you can call, text, or email them later to explain your injury and condition.
If you suffer from an accident, make sure any witnesses of the incident notify your company about the situation.
Seek Immediate Medical Care
This sounds so obvious that you should get immediate medical care to prevent the injury from worsening. This is also a critical step in validating your claim about injury with the information provided by doctors. For the first visit after getting injured on the job, you can see any doctor including your general practitioner. In case of serious injury, your emergency room physician. You should take medical care from a doctor who is certified by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). Such a certified doctor is responsible for the treatment plan, coordinating the payment of the medical bills which is related to your workplace injury, and even more.
File a Claim
After getting the medical care the next step is to file a claim. It covers all the medical expenses and missing wages as well during your recovery. Your doctor can also submit a claim to the managed care organization (MCO) of your company. However, if your employer doesn’t have an MCO then make sure you file a claim yourself. In such a case don’t rely on your doctor. Moreover, you can submit a claim online with the BWC yourself.
Some people ignore this step considering it unnecessary. Injured on the job and skipping what you deserve is definitely not a good practice. Keep in mind that it’s your right to get help with the expenses of your workplace injury. Don’t forget to inform the concerned body at the earliest. If you see your employer refusing to help you, then get your worker’s compensation benefits with the help of your co-workers. Your coworkers can be a great help to support your case. This way you will easily get your deserved benefits without any trouble.
Get Your Rights and Benefits
Once you have filed a claim, you will receive a notification letter and an ID card within a few days in the mail. Most probably, your claim will be approved and you will start getting benefits. It’s important to research a little bit about the benefits you will get and how claims are evaluated by BWC. With a better understanding of the whole process, you will be fully prepared to lodge a claim. It will surely help you get the benefits you deserve throughout your recovery from the injury.
You can expect mistakes from BWC. So, when you will have a proper understating of the process, and benefits then you will act accordingly. In case of any mistake from BWC, you can also fight for your rights.
Consult With Attorney
Sometimes worker’s compensation rules and regulations become confusing for a person to understand without any help. So it’s a good idea if you consult an attorney even before filing a claim. Consulting with an experienced attorney who knows much about this claiming process can save you from the complexity of the process. You can get free consultations initially. Working with an attorney can also ensure you are not caught off guard. They have a deep understating of this system. This way, you can easily navigate the process which can be helpful for you especially when your claim is denied. Moreover, an attorney can also add to your understanding of whether you are able to get additional compensation from a different party or not.
Getting injured on the job is surely a stressful situation and especially the aftermath makes it more disturbing. However, with an informed mind and everything in place (what you need to do next) you can cope with the situation excellently. In the end, make sure you get your rights and benefits from the worker’s compensation system. Since it can help you throughout your recovery process.
