In life, we are repeatedly exposed to different kinds of risk, some minor, some major. For a lot of people, most of these risks and hazards to health and safety are experienced in the workplace. Even in the modern-day where people are more aware of their surroundings and environmental factors that affect their safety, you can never rule out the possibility of workplace accidents.
From fires to the inhalation of toxic gases, falls, slits, and physical impact by workplace equipment, workplace accidents come in many different forms. In most cases, it depends on the conditions of the workplace and the type of occupation.
But more often than not, workplace accidents lead to a lot of pain and suffering for the victim. Apart from the physical pain, many victims have to deal with emotional suffering and financial loss from medical expenses. This is not to forget that when injured, you may not be earning an income in the first place. If your employer has workers’ comp, it could help reduce the burden for you and help you get back to your life. Nonetheless, pursuing workers’ comp claims may require legal help if at all you are to be compensated first and fairly. Your best bet can be to visit website of the professional or read some tips you could use to settle and win a workers’ compensation case.
1. File Your Claim Quickly and Accurately
When filing for compensation for any injury you get, time is precious. There is a time limit for filing your claim depending on the state you are in. regardless of the state, you should file the claim ASAP. You should, however, not risk making mistakes. The information provided should be accurate. This is what increases your chances of winning the compensation case. Fill out the First Report of Injury (FROI), entering accurate information and ensuring you are truthful. Getting the ball rolling as soon as possible increases your chances of victory.
2. Get a Lawyer
In most cases, the employer will try to protect his business from incurring the compensation cost. He can do this by offering you a deal or getting his business lawyer to win the case in court. In case they are insured, they will have you deal with the insurance company, and that’s the source of the major headache. As pointed out by the seasoned lawyers at https://davis-sanchez.com/, insurance companies are more interested in paying the least amount on settlements for work injury cases. Once you have been injured on the job and want to be compensated, you need to get yourself a lawyer ASAP. Right from the start, they will guide you on what to do and gather all the information they might need to win the case in or out of court.
They will look at any deals you receive from your employer and advise you if they are worth your injuries or you should continue to court. Other factors are to be considered when making your compensation claim that only a lawyer will know. If you don’t get yourself a lawyer, then at least seek legal advice from one.
3. Seek Medical Attention
After any injury, whether severe or not, seek medical attention. This helps determine whether there are any other injuries that you are not aware of. At the same time, it’s a way of showing how severe your injuries were. Failing to see a doctor can be interpreted as a lack of severity of your injuries. Explain to your physician where you got your injuries to help in the documentation of your medical report. The report comes in handy when you are going to court. The physician might also be considerate on your payment terms when they understand you were injured on the job.
4. Get Witness Statements
For a compensation case, you will most probably end up going to court. To make your claim strong and increase your chances of winning, you need to get witnesses. For such a case, statements such as, “he said, she said,” do not give the judge enough facts to rule in your favor. If you have witnesses, it is good you get them to write their statements down. This way, you will have something concrete to present to the court. Also, this will prevent changing the memory of facts.
A written statement, which is written not long after the accident has occurred, will contain all the necessary facts. If your employer is trying to prevent you from filing your claim, get to your injury lawyer as soon as possible. Don’t forget to speak up if you think you are working under unsafe or hazardous conditions!