What to do if you’re injured at work

Workplace injury claims - employee and employer responsibilities 2

Have you sustained an injury in the workplace? Do you know how to handle an accident if it occurs?

Accidents at work are rare, but its best to prepare yourself if it happens to you.

Here is a brief guide on what you need to know about handling an accident and the steps you need to take to file a claim against your employer for economic damages.

Seek Medical Help

Immediately after your accident, call for medical help. Reach out to your colleagues if you’re conscious and able to move. Ask them to call for an ambulance and try to keep your emotional and physical state as calm as possible. 

Dealing with an injury is challenging, the pain and trauma surrounding the event may cause you to think unclearly, so call for medical assistance as soon as possible.

Collect Evidence

Once you are back home, you may not be able to return to work until your injuries heal. In such a case, as a colleague to take photos of the accident site and forward them to you.

Request a verbal statement from any of your colleagues that were witnesses to your accident. They can make a short video giving their account of the events surrounding your accident.

Inform Your Employer

After your release from the hospital, inform your employer of the extent of your injuries, as well as the timeframe for your recovery. In some cases, it may take months for you to heal, especially in the case of severe injuries such as a broken leg. 

Your employer has a right to know about your recovery, and it’s in your best interest to inform them. Send management copies of your medical report and tell them of the extent of your injuries.

Find a Reputable Personal Injury Solicitor

As soon as you’re able to move, visit the offices of a reputable law firm that specialises in personal injury claims in the workplace.

A qualified and experienced lawyer will assess your accident and medical report. If they think you have grounds for a suit, your lawyer will conduct their investigation into the events surrounding your injury.

If you were unable to collect evidence after your injury, your attorney would do it for you. Their investigation will include recording proof on the site of the accident, as well as interviewing any of your colleagues that were witness to the events. They may also collect other evidence such as CCTV footage and testimony from other people near to the scene of the accident.

Your lawyers goal with evidence collection is to prove the liability of your employer for the cause of your accident. If they are successful in collecting evidence, they will be able to file a personal injury claim on your behalf that proves employer negligence.

File a Claim

After their discovery process, your solicitor will file a personal injury claim and attend a deposition with the insurance company.

The majority of personal injury claims settle out of court. You can expect your personal injury solicitor to recover any economic losses, such as lost income, medical expenses, and future rehabilitation.