Injured On The Job? Here’s What To Do

If you were recently injured on the job, it can be confusing and daunting to know what to do. If you dawdle for too long, you’re liable to lose any benefits available to you and be responsible for your medical care.

Here are the steps necessary if you were injured at work:

Get Care Immediately

The most important first step is to seek medical care for your injuries. If the injuries were not too bad, you can often get the help that you need from your basic first aid kit provided to you on the job. If there is no first aid kit available, notify your supervisor immediately so that they can provide one to you and other workers. If hospital care is needed and you have to make a trip to the emergency room for your injuries, remember that your job will be responsible for paying the bill. Oftentimes, people will forgo going to the hospital out of fear that they have no insurance and cannot afford it, however, workplace injuries are handled differently.

Notify Your Employer

It is crucial that you notify your employer as soon as feasibly possible when you’re injured. If you fail to notify your employer within 30 days of the incident, you may not be able to get workers compensation and have your medical bills and lost wages covered. Even if a supervisor was not on the job with you, you have to contact them by phone or email as soon as possible to let them know what happened. Provide them with as many details as possible to ensure that all of your injuries have been documented and filed appropriately.

Complete a Workers Compensation Form

Once you’ve received medical care for your injuries and have notified your employer, you have to file a workers compensation claim on Form C-3. Once properly completed, you need to mail the form to the nearest workers compensation board if there will be any lost time on the job. Workers compensation is what will cover lost wages if you need to have time out of work due to work-related injuries. If this claim is not filed within two years of the incident, you will not be eligible for benefits regarding that specific injury.

Other Important Things to Know and Do

Be sure to follow all of your doctor’s orders to ensure a quick and speedy recovery. Return to work when and if you are able to, as this will prevent lost wages as a result of workers compensation not covering your salary for a lengthy period of time. If you need to have a professional medical exam done by the board regarding a claim, make sure that you appear in a timely fashion to ensure benefits are paid when you need them.