An injury at work can leave you unable to earn a living or have expensive medical bills, putting a financial burden on you and your family. Workplace injury compensation can help here, allowing you to claim for loss of income or medical bills and recover without worrying about paying your bills. To ensure you file your claim correctly, there are a few steps you need to follow after being injured at work, including seeking medical attention and documenting any injuries. Let us walk you through what you should do after being injured at work.
What do I do after being injured at work?
If you are injured at work, you need to ensure that you get medical help and notify your employer with a document of the incident that can help with your claim. We have detailed the steps you should take after being injured at work below:
1. Seek medical help
Immediately after injuring yourself, you should seek medical help. Your health should be your top priority, and you should leave work if needed to get the help you need. You might need to call an ambulance, visit a hospital, or book an appointment with your GP, depending on the severity of your injury.
You might also need to liaise with your employer’s first aider, who may offer some treatment. Again, this depends on how severe your injury is.
2. Tell your employer
As soon as you are able, you will need to let your supervisor or manager know about the injury. They will need to know how the injury occurred, if there are witnesses, and if there is any other relevant information. Your supervisor or manager will need to create an official record of the incident and any treatment you receive for your injury. It is important that you keep your employer up to date with your injury and any treatment you are receiving.
3. Document the incident
When you are able, document the entire incident. Try to do this when the details are still fresh in your mind. You will want to include as many details as possible about how the accident happened, the injuries sustained, and the medical treatment you have received. If possible, it’s a good idea to take pictures of any injuries you have sustained and where the accident happened.
4. Find witnesses
If anyone saw the accident, you will want to note them down as witnesses. Take their details and an account of what happened, as this can help with your testimony. If the accident happened in an area covered by CCTV, you can also ask for a copy of the CCTV to be shared with you.
5. Lodge a claim
You will want to complete a WorkCover claim form and submit it to your employer. Make sure that you include as much information as possible to avoid any delays in the claim process. Your employer will forward the claim to their insurance company in a certain time frame, and failing to do so means you can directly submit the form to the insurance company. Make sure your employer keeps you updated so you know that the form has been submitted.
6. Seek legal advice
You will want to speak to a work injury lawyer as soon as possible to ensure you get the right guidance and support. A work injury lawyer will guide you through the process, checking to see if you are entitled to additional tax-free compensation like a common law claim if your employer or another party was negligent. You can read more about the role of technology in personal injury lawsuits here.
What can I claim after being injured at work?
When you are injured at work in Brisbane, it is important that you understand what you can claim to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. You can claim for damages, which typically include:
Loss of income
When an injury leads to time off work, you can claim for the loss of wages. You can also claim for the loss of future earnings if you are unable to work long-term.
Loss of superannuation
You can also claim for the loss of superannuation contributions that you would have received if you had been able to continue working.
Pain and suffering
Pain and suffering encompasses any physical injuries or psychological conditions caused by the injury. It can be difficult to quantify pain and suffering as it is very subjective and can vary from person to person.
Past and future medical expenses
You can claim for any medical costs you have already incurred from the injury and any anticipated future costs, like hospital bills, physiotherapy, medication costs, home care costs, or rehabilitation expenses.
Find your worker’s compensation lawyer in Brisbane
When you are injured at work, you will want a worker’s compensation lawyer to help you with any paperwork and file a claim to help you get the money that you deserve. Smith’s Lawyers is a group of expert workers’ compensation lawyers in Brisbane who can help you get the compensation you need. Reach out to them for expert workers’ compensation lawyers in Brisbane.
