What to Do If You’re Injured at Work

Getting hurt at work can be a distressing and confusing time. It can make you feel let down by the company that was meant to be there to protect you, and the subsequent time out of work due to the injuries sustained can be hard and depressing to deal with.

After an injury, most people would want to move on, recover and try to get back to normal, however, if the accident at work wasn’t your fault, then it might be worth focusing on it more and looking in to see if you have a claim to get some form of compensation. After all, this injury may have cost you medical bills for treatment, and you might be missing out on pay due to the recovery time, so it’s very much worth your while trying to get some compensation so that your finances don’t take a huge hit.

If you’re injured at work, here is what you should do

Getting hurt on the job is truely the saddest feeling. One might or might not have access to first-aid kits and emergency assistance. But there are a few tips to keep in mind that can actually save you from severe injuries while in the workplace.

Focus on Healing

The first thing you must do when injured at work, before worrying about anything else, is to focus your time and attention on healing your body and getting better. This starts the instant you’re hurt, as you should ensure that you’re being supported by the workplace first aider, and if you need it, professional medical attention properly.

Even if you feel that the injury is minor, even small injuries can become chronic lifetime conditions if you don’t get treatment instantly, so it’s important that you get yourself checked out, even if you think you’re fine.

Make Sure Your Injury Is Logged

The next thing you need to do when you’re hurt at work is to ensure that your manager or boss has recorded the incident. Most companies have to have an incident book to protect workers to stop incidents from being swept under the rug. It’s important that you get them to do this because if you decide to make a claim later, your employer will have a hard time disputing the accident if it’s been logged.

Far too many bosses try to intimidate staff into not recording anything, but if this happens, put your foot down and make sure that it’s logged, so that you’re able to make a personal injury claim.

Get Evidence

If you want to make a claim, a good way to strengthen your chances of winning is to get video evidence of the accident occurring. If you’re able to, try to get a picture of your injuries so that people can see the severity, and also get a picture of the accident location. If there’s something defective that caused the accident, such as uneven floors or a broken step, get a picture of this as well. Try to get the pictures as soon after the injury happened as possible, as this will stop dishonest employers from fixing the location before you get to make a claim.

Furthermore, if you want to make a claim it’s also a good idea to get evidence of all the expenses and losses you’ve incurred due to the injury. This means that you should keep a record of all your fees and medical bills, as well as a bank statement to display the amount of money you’ve lost through not being able to work as a result of your injuries.

Read Also:

• Guide to Complying with Safety Training in the Workplace
• Health and Safety Training for the Workplace: Resources and information you need to know