If you are unlucky enough to suffer a work injury, you must act fast. The time directly after the injury occurs is when your rights are most protected, and by taking some easy steps, you can protect yourself further. Here are some of the most important things you need to be doing after suffering a work injury.
Notify Your Employer Immediately
The very first thing you need to do is to notify your employer as soon as possible. Your employer will likely have a procedure in place that requires workers who they suspect might have been injured on the job to report it immediately. In most cases, if you fail to notify your employer of an injury for more than 24 hours after it occurred, you could risk losing some rights and protections. Also, by reporting the injury as quickly as possible, you have a better ability to document exactly what occurred. You must do this when it comes to reporting injuries so that you are not seen as having violated any policies.
Find A Worker’s Compensation Attorney
In many cases, workers who have been injured on the job are forced back to their jobs once they recuperate from their injuries. While workers’ compensation lawyer in South Carolina are in place for workers’ protection, employers often do not follow these laws exactly as they are written. This means that workers who have been hurt on the job can sometimes find themselves easily replaced and forced back to work despite their limitations. If this happens to you after suffering a work injury, you must contact an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in South Carolina right away. They will be able to review the facts of your case and determine if there was any wrongdoing on behalf of your employer or insurance company. Based on what is found during the investigation, your lawyer may be able to help you fight for more workers’ comp benefits so that you get what you deserve after being injured on the job.
Seek Medical Attention
After suffering a work injury, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible. Getting an examination for your injuries will help prove later on that your injuries did happen while at work and were directly related to your job. If your employer schedules the appointment for you, then make sure to go no matter what. Even if you feel fine and do not think that there is anything wrong with you after suffering a work injury, visit a doctor anyway just in case. If you ignore your injury, it can become worse and cause more problems down the road. For example, if you have a severe cut that requires stitches, getting them right away prevents any infection from setting in and making things worse. Sometimes these injuries require immediate surgery or long-term physical therapy. Whatever your situation is, make sure to see a doctor so they can provide the best treatment possible for your injury.
Take Pictures Of Your Injuries
It can be hard to remember all of the details that you experience over the next few days and weeks after your accident. To make sure nothing is forgotten and to ensure that you have proof later down the road, take pictures of your injuries as they happen and as they continue to heal. This way, if workers’ comp does not want to cover you or is trying to say that your injuries were not related to your job, these photos will provide proof otherwise. The more proof there is about what happened during your accident and how serious it was, the better off you will be in filing for workers’ compensation benefits.
File A Claim With Workers’ Comp
Once you have gone to the doctor, taken pictures, and notified your employer about your accident, it is time to file for workers’ compensation benefits. Since employers are not required to provide workers’ comp insurance in South Carolina, many workplaces do not carry this type of coverage. If you find yourself without coverage after being injured on the job, you will need to file with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing And Regulation. It is recommended to have your attorney handle this process for you since they will know what to do and how to get the ball rolling on your case.
Being injured at work can be a difficult thing to deal with. However, if you make sure to follow these steps, you can ensure that your case is in the best possible position to win any disputes with your employer or insurance company.
