Submitted by Kanoski Bresney Law Firm
It can be very hard to think clearly in the immediate aftermath of an accident. You may feel as if you are in shock as your adrenaline races and your heart pounds after a frightening accident. Or, your accident could be much more mundane, such as tripping over an exposed wire that should have been taped down, or pulling a muscle in your back while mopping the floor. Either way, you may be left wondering what to do. Knowing what steps to take just after you experience a workplace injury can make your Workers’ Compensation claims process far easier.
Many workers who experience an injury while on the job elect to take a “wait and see” approach to managing the situation. These workers may not say anything right away, but rather, wait to see if their injury feels better on its own in the next day or so. Unfortunately, taking this course of action can make obtaining Workers’ Compensation more difficult or even result in a denied claim.
If you are badly injured, the first thing you should do is call 911 or have another person call on your behalf. If your injury is less urgent or less severe, then your first step should generally be to report the incident to your employer according to their procedure. While you may not want to “make a big deal” out of your injury, reporting what happened can help preserve evidence that your injury happened at work. Even if you are not sure whether you will want to file a claim, this step is highly important.
Next, you should seek medical attention. This generally means going to urgent care or the emergency room depending on the severity of your injury. Receiving prompt medical evaluation not only gets you the treatment you need, but provides needed evidence of the physical harm you have suffered.
It is advisable to speak with an attorney as soon as possible so that they can provide further instructions and begin gathering the evidence they may need quickly. Unsafe conditions in a workplace are often corrected very promptly once they have injured someone, and your attorney will likely want to preserve evidence of the original condition. If you do decide to file a claim, your case may depend on the prompt preservation of evidence.
Hopefully, you will never experience a work-related injury. But accidents happen. If you should experience an injury, it’s a good idea to know what steps to take.
For more information on any type of personal injury or to schedule a free consultation, contact Kanoski Bresney law firm at 888-826-8682. They are the largest personal injury law firm located within central Illinois and they have the resources to handle any type of injury claim anywhere in the state including McLean County, Sangamon County, Adams County, Champaign County, Schuyler County, Peoria County, Macomb, Macon County, Quincy, Bloomington, Tazewell County, Champaign, Decatur, McDonough County, Pekin, Springfield, Peoria, and Rushville. Their experience helps ensure that their clients get the respect, response, and results® they deserve. They will evaluate your case and work to determine what your next steps should be moving forward.