If you suffer any type of injury at work, your immediate attention should turn to your health and well-being. This will ensure that you receive the proper medical care without delay.
However, since you were injured at work, it’s also important that you report the accident to your employer, as this will help you protect your legal rights in the future. If you have any plan of filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits, you’re required to report the accident to your employer in a timely manner.
Here are some tips for doing so:
- Don’t waste time: If at all possible, report the accident to your supervisor before you leave the scene. Should your injuries prevent you from doing so, ask a co-worker to fill in your supervisor until you’re able to contact them directly.
- Contact the HR department: It’s better to be safe than sorry, so contact your HR department along with your supervisor. You don’t want to leave it up to your supervisor to inform the rest of your company, as they may neglect to do so (such as to cover up some type of negligence on their behalf).
- Stick to the facts: You don’t have to get into details at this time. Your only goal is to inform your employer that you suffered an injury on the job. Doing this reduces the likelihood of them arguing that you were injured outside of work should you file a workers’ compensation claim.
- Follow-up: Once you receive medical care, a diagnosis and have an idea of what the future holds, you can then follow-up with the HR department to inform them of your next steps. Depending on your injuries, there’s a chance that you won’t be able to immediately return to work.
Do you best to take all the right steps, in the right order, after a workplace accident. This starts with reporting the accident to your supervisor and/or HR department.
As you learn more about your injuries and impact on your future, consider your legal rights. You may find that your best option is filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
