Three Reasons to Report Workplace Injuries

Posted on: 20 August 2015

If you get injured at work, it should be covered by your employer's workers' compensation insurance policy. Most businesses have this coverage, which pays for medical costs, including doctor visits, prescriptions, and treatments for a work-related injury. If you are injured at work, you need to report it to your supervisor right away. Here are the reasons why.

You Get Immediate Help

The first reason you should inform your supervisor of your injury is because they might be able to help you get relief while at work. You might not have a full-blown injury yet, but are starting to experience pain and discomfort. This is common among conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. Your supervisor may be able to adjust your work desk and chair, get you a new keyboard, or help with monitor height to avoid this and other work-related conditions. It helps reduce comfort now and helps workers' comp know that you tried to fix the situation to prevent the injury.

You Can Work in a Different Department

Depending on the type of job you have, switching to a different department might be necessary. For example, if you drive a large van to deliver flowers around town, you might be having back pain from sitting in the van all day to make deliveries. If you have started experiencing chronic pain in your back, your supervisor can switch you to a different position. You may start working in the office of the flower shop instead of having to make deliveries. This keeps you from losing income by missing too much work from the pain, but allows you to remain with your company.

It Helps When Filing a Claim

If you get an injury at work, you will need to file a workers' compensation claim. Reporting the injury to your employer right after it occurs helps increase the chances of that claim being approved. You need to let someone know about the injury so you can get medical care. You will be asked to see a workers' comp doctor so they can assess your injury and indicate whether or not it is work-related. They will also inform your employer of the severity of the injury and how long your recovery period will be.

When you do everything right and report your injury or accident as requested, but get denied workers' comp coverage, contact an attorney like http://www.lshlaw.com. They will help you file an appeal to get the benefits you deserve.

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