Certain work environments make workers' compensation more applicable than others, which is especially the case in the construction sector. If you ever get injured and have to proceed with this compensation program, make sure you remember this advice when notifying your employer of the injury that occurred.
Find the Right Party
An injury that leads to workers' compensation shouldn't be discussed with just anyone that works for your company. The right party must be reached that has the authority to move forward with the compensation process and notify the relevant insurance provider handling the claim.
Take your time finding out who this party is, which shouldn't be too difficult because workers' compensation reporting protocol should have come up in training. Or, there should be policies online that your employer put together that show exactly which party can facilitate workers' compensation claims for workers.
Don't Wait Until You Heal
Some workers get nervous about reporting a workers' compensation injury. They then delay the process, and it may be too late if injuries heal because then it would be a difficult endeavor to show how a work-related accident affected you in some capacity.
Quickly responding is the best way to handle reporting this work-related accident. Even if you're in the hospital, you need to make attempts to reach out to your employer so that they can get the claims process moving along without delay. Being fast in your reporting also is key in preventing injuries or problems from going unnoticed.
Respond Legally if You Receive Any Sort of Pushback
Unfortunately, there are some work cultures out there that do everything possible to urge workers against pursuing workers' compensation claims to save them money. They may go to some pretty shady lengths to push back on your attempts to file for workers' compensation, such as threatening to let you go or pay you less.
If pushback of any caliber happens when you report the work-related injury, you need to hire a workers' compensation lawyer so that you let the employer know you're not going to just do nothing. These legal actions will keep your compensation claim in play to help you recover financially.
Several key steps are involved in filing for workers' compensation, but one of the most important early on is the basic act of reporting it. Knowing certain protocols when doing so can ensure you perform subsequent steps correctly. Contact a workers' compensation lawyer to get help with your case.
