Whether or not to make an accidental injury claim after being hurt while working is a big decision. Generally speaking the answer is yes. You should make an injury claim if you have been injured, and it was not your fault. While we tell you why this is the case, we’ll also look at the mistakes people make as well as how to go about making a claim.
Step 1: Report The Injury
It doesn’t matter how small the injury is, you are legally required to report if you have been injured while on the job. You should tell the officer in charge of health and safety in the work premises. They will then alert a manager who, depending on the severity of the injury, may tell the head of the company. The injury should be noted down in the official log companies are required to keep. There needs to be an accurate account of what occurred.
One of the mistakes employees often make before or during this point is allowing blame to be placed on their shoulders. Even if you think it might have been your fault, you should never admit this to anyone. Only a legal representative like Dan T. Matrafajlo will be able to alert you as to whether or not you could have prevented the accident. Even then you might still be entitled to some form of compensation. Most definitely consider hiring professionals such as Minnesota Employment attorneys to walk you through the process.
Step 2: Talking To Witnesses And Getting An Accurate Account
If there were any witnesses to the accident, you need to get a written account from them. This is going to help if you do decide to make a claim. If there were no witnesses, it’s important to record the scene of the accident before it has been altered. You should also write down your own private account of what occurred. Remember, the business owner will be taking these same measures. Particularly, if it was a serious accident that left you with permanent injuries.
Step 3: Deciding Whether To Make A Claim
You should not base this decision on how much money you could get but rather how much the accident has affected you. If it has left you unable to work, you should certainly be looking for compensation. But, if it was a small injury – and we do mean small – then perhaps compensation is not necessary. But note, this decision will never affect whether or not you alert someone that an accident has occurred. Also, be wary of an injury that does not seem serious because it could get worse. If it get’s worse after a long period you will find it difficult to make a claim at that point. A key example is tinnitus. In the seventies many workers were not given the appropriate safety wear to protect their ears from loud noise. They were left with tinnitus and they were told by their employers this would be temporary. It wasn’t, and now they must suffer with it for the rest of their lives without compensation.
We hope you have found this advice useful, when deciding whether to make a claim. But remember, only a trained lawyer can help you make the right choice in this instance.
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