If you were injured within your workplace, then there are steps that you should take afterward to financial and physically protect yourself. It's important to minimize your risks and make sure you are being helped by instead of being taken advantage of by employers, doctors, attorneys, or health insurance companies. Following these four steps will ensure that the recovery process will progress as smoothly as possible.
Immediately Seek Medical Attention
If you are hurt, then you should immediately visit the doctor and seek medical attention. You may want to go immediately to the emergency room or your primary care physician that day depending on your injury. Once you arrive at the doctor, inform them of your injury and how you believe it transpired. The doctor should then examine you thoroughly and provide for you a recovery plan. Make sure you save all of your documentation, including any diagnosis and all bills, because you will need it for health insurance purposes and need to share it with the Human Resources department or an attorney at a later date.
Document Everything Before Meeting w/ Human Resources
After your injury, go home and write down everything that happened that day. Make sure to document everything that occurred before and after the accident. You should document everything while your mind is fresh so that you do not forget to include crucial information. You should also document everything before meeting with your Human Resources department. Remember that Human Resources will most likely interview anyone who was around when you were injured so make sure everything is clear in your mind.
Consult With Human Resources
If you have a reasonable Human Resources department, you may be able to handle everything through them. They may want to interview you and ask how the injury occurred. They may also want to see your medical bills, especially if you are requesting time off for recovery or feel as though you deserve compensation for your medical bills as well as pain and suffering. If you want them to make changes within your workplace to improve safety conditions, then you may want to share some recommendations within the meeting. In most cases, the Human Resources department wants to resolve your claim as quickly as possible. They may also be willing to reach a financial agreement that is equitable between both parties.
Call An Attorney
Calling an attorney should be the last resort after you have exhausted all of your other options. You can't try and solve a situation like this on your own without professional legal consultation.
Law offices like Rizzi Law Group state that at times, the Human Resources department may not take your claim as seriously as possible. You may feel as though they may not be doing enough to adequately protect the workplace. Or perhaps, they may not want to compensate you for time off or pain and suffering. At this time, you should consult with an attorney who can explain to you your options in regards to a workers compensation claim.
After an injury, make sure to follow the appropriate steps to ensure that you will be properly protected. Remember to consult with an attorney if you have tried to work with your employer but have not been able to reach an adequate and just agreement. And don't forget that the best way of preventing an employee injury is with health and safety training from experts in the field. Always keep the health and safety of your workers as priority number one!
I hope you enjoyed this article about handling your employee injuries or preventing your injury in the workplace or office.
Interested in more articles about employee management?
Read My Blog Posts:
- Benefits Of Employee Wellness Program
- Managing Employee Safety In High Risk Industries
Published by Michael J Schiemer
Owner of the Bootstrap Business Blog
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