First 4 Steps After Getting Injured at Work
If you are injured while working, you should know the steps you need to take immediately after the accident. By knowing the right steps, you can obtain the medical treatment you need and recover your lost wages while out of work. The more you become aware of your rights, the easier it is to minimize your losses, recover from your injury and get back to work.
4 steps after a work injury
Inform your employer
Report the injury immediately to your employer or supervisor and ask for medical treatment. In cases of emergency, you may not be able to report the injury but do so as soon as you are able. Complete an accident report. Reports need to be in writing and submitted to your employer within thirty days of the accident.
Seek medical attention
After you have reported the injury, seek medical attention. Even if you think your injury is not severe, you should consult with a medical provider and be checked out. The doctor will diagnose any injury and make treatment recommendations as needed. Most importantly, if you miss time from work, you will need medical evidence showing the need for your absence from work in order to recover lost wages.
Consult a lawyer
If you sustain a workplace injury, you might be entitled to receive compensation. Just like other types of injury claims, it can be overwhelming to handle work accident claims. Therefore, it is always in your best interest to hire an Oklahoma City workers compensation lawyer. The lawyer will pursue maximum compensation for you. The workers comp injury attorney will guide you on how you can pursue the process of receiving medical treatment and wage replacement from your employer. If your employer does not have worker’s compensation insurance, you may be able to file suit in district court. Doing that can be the best option if you believe that your employers’ negligence contributed to your accident.
Documentation
You should record in writing all details related to your accident, reporting procedure, and medical treatment. Proper documentation will help the Oklahoma workers compensation lawyers recover benefits for you. Many documents have a way of disappearing if not protected by the injured party. Some critical documentation you should obtain includes:
- Medical records
- Length of the period you missed work
- Severity and extent of your injury
- Series of events that contributed to your work injury
- Correspondence between you and your employer
- Contact information of the witnesses.
How a lawyer can help you with a work injury claim
Can litigate your claim after a denial
Some employees assume that it is easy to file a claim for worker’s compensation. That is because they have a long-standing and excellent work record, they received treatment from the best doctor, and their co-workers witnessed the accident. Despite that, most people will realize shortly after an on-the-job injury that employers and insurance companies do not always act as they should. Fortunately, the Oklahoma workers compensation attorney can assist in establishing a strong case that will provide you with compensation. The lawyer knows the evidence that will compel the Commission to award benefits.
Improve the negotiations
The Oklahoma City workers comp injury attorneys are very much aware of the amount of money you are entitled to and what it will take to obtain it. An experienced lawyer from Burton Law Group will work on your behalf to help you receive every possible benefit that you are entitled to.
Strengthens your chances in court
Not all workers’ compensation cases can be settled in an office. Others end up in the Oklahoma Workers Compensation Court. If your case proceeds to court, it can be challenging, time-consuming, and costly to handle yourself. You might also not file the case properly. The insurance company of your employer will do their best to ensure that you are supplied with voluminous paperwork that will make you want to give up. Fortunately, a workers comp attorney can help by navigating through the judicial system to get you fair compensation.