Sustaining a workplace injury can be stressful and costly. It can also affect your life in many ways over both the short term and the long term. So what should you do when you have been injured at work? We’ve outlined some of the important steps and things to keep in mind as you try to move forward from a workplace accident.
These steps include:
- Report the injury to your employer
- Obtain a doctor’s appointment
- Keep all documentation relating to your injury
- Seek professional legal help
- Complete and submit your claim within the relevant time frames.
Record the incident with your employer
You must report an accident in the workplace to your employer as soon as possible after it occurs. Your employer should log the details of your accident into their relevant system as soon as they can. In most cases, reporting your accident to your employer in a timely manner is essential if you wish to claim compensation.
Document everything
Keeping records and relevant documentation is an important aspect when you think you may need to claim for a workplace injury. Whether this is medical records, receipts for treatments, copies of your timesheet on the day of the accident, or witness statements, having them on hand is a good idea because it can save you time when you file your claim.
Make sure you have a claim
Before you start this process though, you should first figure out if you actually have a claim. This is a good time to speak to a legal expert who has experience with workplace injury cases. They will be able to assess your situation and help you understand whether you have grounds to claim Workers’ Compensation or not.
As a guide, you may be able to make a claim if you:
- Suffer from an injury, illness or disease
- Which is either as a result of, or in the course of, your work.
This is applicable for most types of employment, including part-time and casual workers.
If you have been in an accident in your workplace, contact our team today to get personalised advice.