Regardless of your profession, an accident can happen on the job at any time. Something as simple as a wet floor in the break room or a broken tile in the employee bathroom can cause a serious accident with lasting consequences. When most of us think of a work-related injury, we imagine someone in a high-intensity role getting hurt from heavy machinery, but even those in low-impact positions can experience the negative effects of a work injury in California.
No matter what you were doing at the time of your workplace accident, there are important steps that you should follow in order to properly document the injury in the event that you need to bring your case to court. Insurance companies may occasionally attempt to fight your claim and prevent you from obtaining the full amount of workers’ compensation that you deserve, and it is up to you as the victim to provide adequate evidence proving what happened and how the consequences of the accident have affected you.
Whether you’ve broken a bone, experienced a burn, or had a slip-and-fall on the job, you should always seek medical treatment after an injury. Many employees who hurt themselves while they are at the workplace hesitate to see a doctor or physician because they do not believe that the injury they experienced was “serious” enough. Unfortunately, this can have damaging repercussions, as many injuries, such as concussions or internal hemorrhaging, don’t show how serious they are right away.
Another significant benefit of seeking immediate medical treatment is that a physician will be able to document the injury as being work-related. This can act as an important piece of evidence, should you need to contest your claim against your employer’s insurance company. It is the responsibility of the victim to prove their injury occurred at work, and medical documentation is a strong way to exhibit that.
In some circumstances, a work injury may result in an individual being taken immediately to a hospital for medical treatment. In those cases, they may not be able to notify a manager or supervisor about the incident right away. In situations that are less severe, an employee might have time to let their employer know as soon as the accident happens.
No matter which situation occurs, a worker who is injured on the job should always ensure that they report their accident to management, HR, a supervisor, or their boss. Many times, this will require that the victim make a statement about the incident and recount their version of the events, in addition to listing any injuries that they sustained as a result of the event.
Management may make adjustments to the report after you have filled it out. Be sure to review it and go over any changes that they made so that the incident can be recorded correctly, in case the documentation needs to be used later in a trial as evidence that the accident took place as described.
Different work environments will call for different ways of obtaining information and evidence related to your accident. For instance, if you work in an office that does not have a lot of surveillance cameras, you might not be able to use any video evidence in your case. However, there are different types of documented evidence that can be helpful.
Bystanders and witnesses can record or write down their testimony of the situation. If you obtain any quotes or statements from other employees or customers, ensure that they provide their full name and contact information in the event that they need to be brought in during your trial.
Taking photographs of the scene of the accident can also be a good way to document and record the event. You can also enlist other coworkers to photograph the location where the accident took place if you are unable to do so. Even handheld video evidence of the incident can aid your case.
Dealing with a workplace injury is complicated and frustrating, and no one should have to do it alone. With the help of the experienced team at KCNS Law Group, you don’t have to. Our firm is dedicated to working with you to fight for your rights and create a strong case that gets you the compensation for your injuries that you deserve.
Why go another day without getting justice for your work-related accident? Give us a call now at (818) 937-9255 or reach out to us online to find out more information about scheduling your free case consultation with one of our experienced legal professionals.
Our client-based approach is concentrated on our commitment to providing individual and strategic representation tailored to our client’s specific needs.