2 Mistakes To Avoid After Being Injured On The Job
Posted on: 18 February 2021
If you were recently hurt while on the job and are afraid that you will be unable to work while you recover, you may already know that you are entitled to workers' compensation. However, while the law is on your side if you can prove your injuries were sustained while doing your job, you may have to fight to receive your benefits. To help increase your chances of getting what you need, make sure that you do not make the following mistakes.
1. Waiting Until Later in the Day or the Next Day to Report Your Injury
One mistake that you should avoid after you have been hurt at work is waiting to report the injury. You may decide to see how you feel in a few hours or the next day, causing you to delay the reporting until hours after the accident. However, you should not wait to report your injury. Instead, tell your supervisor as soon as the accident happens. If you delay, your employer could claim that the injuries were not bad enough to keep you from working for a few hours. Or, if you wait until the next day, they could try to say that you hurt yourself offsite.
2. Depending on Your Employer's Doctor for Your Medical Treatment
Once you have reported the injury, your company may send you to their doctor for evaluation and treatment. Even if they seem concerned about your well-being, they are in the employ of the company, and they may try to make light of your injuries. If you were to receive the wrong diagnosis, you would then not be able to receive the proper treatment. Also, they may try to get you back to work before you are physically capable.
While you may be required to see their doctor, you should seek out your own care as well. You may have to go to the emergency room right away to get an unbiased evaluation. Then, you should find your own doctor to provide you with treatment. If you are unsure as to who to go to, you could ask an attorney for a recommendation.
Along with waiting too long to report your injury and relying on the company doctor to give you fair, unbiased evaluation and treatment, another mistake that you should avoid is trying to navigate filing a claim on your own and without legal representation. As soon as possible after your injury, contact a workers' comp law firm to schedule a consultation to discuss your case so that they can help you through the process. Likewise, contact a workers' comp law firm for more information.
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