Jobsite accidents are unplanned events that result in personal injury. Most accidents happen because of negligence. It can also be because of improper use of tools, unsafe working conditions, or lack of protective equipment like an apron and helmet. Whatever the cause, job site accidents can negatively impact both workers and employers.
Some worksite accidents can be avoided by setting up protective measures. However, some just happens. If you ever get into one, here are some things you can do to handle such a situation. Take note of all of these.
1. Inform Your Supervisor Or Employer
It would be helpful if you can inform your supervisor about the accident immediately after it happened. Each state has specific laws concerning accidents, but most of them will require you to report the event within a particular period for you to prevent getting yourself into a legal disadvantage. Even if your state doesn’t have any law in place, reporting the accident as soon as possible is important.
Reporting the accident in time will hasten processing of your compensation claim. It will also make your claim appear more valid in the court and the eyes of insurance companies. All this will help ensure you’re adequately compensated.
When reporting, make sure you put it in writing and retain a copy. Be specific and honest in giving all the details about what happened. A written report is more persuasive than a verbal report. It can also be used as evidence if a dispute arises down the road.
Moreover, report the accident to the company’s workers compensation insurance company immediately after the accident. Though these insurance companies don’t provide compensation to employees in most cases, it’s still possible to turnaround their decision when you file a lawsuit against your employer.
2. Hire An Experienced Lawyer
In most situations, winning a lawsuit against your employer can be difficult, especially if you’ve sued for compensation. Though the injury may have occurred due to your employer’s negligence, they may refuse to accept it as fact. That’s why it’s advisable to hire an experienced lawyer to help you build a strong claim.
That said, personal injury lawyers at banvillelaw.com and other firms are there to handle your case. You can find experienced lawyers from those firms that can help you out. They will represent you in court, and you don’t have to appear in court in person, especially when you’re seriously injured and need time to heal.
3. Seek Medical Attention
After reporting the incident, seek medical attention. It doesn’t matter if the injury is not as bad as you thought. Make it a priority. In most cases, you might not feel pain immediately until hours or days later after you’ve sustained the injury. Even if you don’t feel anything, it’s good to go to the doctor for an examination.
Do not ignore your injury. Getting it diagnosed and treated it without delay should be a knee jerk reaction from you. Also, the doctor will write a report which will provide more evidence when filing for a personal injury lawsuit.
4. Gather Information
It would be helpful if you can gather as much information about the accident as possible. Collecting all details will help ensure you’re adequately compensated. The first thing you can do is get the contact information of any witness who was there when it happened.
Plead with them to give you their contact details since these witnesses might be required to appear before the judge to provide evidence about what happened. But if they aren’t willing to give out their details, don’t persist. You have the option to let your lawyer do it for you, as they are more authoritative and can get the required information from them.
Also, take photos around the scene. Taking photos is crucial, particularly if the employer failed to provide a better working condition or you with the necessary protective equipment. In addition, you need to take pictures of any injury you’ve sustained.
Takeaway
Job site injuries are common, especially in workplaces with dangerous tools involved. High-risk materials, poorly kept equipment, and even electricity accumulatively raise the chances of you getting involved in an accident. Work site injury can also be caused by your co-workers who aren’t trained or negligent. All these pose a great danger to you and everyone in the company.
Having a safe working environment is a critical aspect of any site job operation. Despite many efforts to keep safe, accidents will and do happen. This is why employees need to know what to do when an accident occurs. Reporting the incident to various authorities, working with a lawyer, and seeking medical attention are some of the things you need to do immediately after the accident.
