When you suffer injury at work, your first thoughts likely involve how long it will take to heal from your injuries and get back to work. However, you may be missing some crucial steps that can help ensure you are able to recover comfortably, cover your medical bills, and return back to work in a timely manner. What are some of the first things you should do after an injury at work?
Seek First Aid or Other Care
It may seem obvious, but the very first thing you should do after a workplace injury is to seek adequate care for your injuries. This is crucial to establishing the fact that you have an injury, since your first appointment will involve filling out certain workers’ compensation forms. Seeking aid immediately is also beneficial to your health. The provider should be the provider of your choice, since your employer cannot tell you which physicians to use.
Tell Your Employer
Notify your employer of your injuries as soon as possible. This should include filling out a Report Form 801 and returning it to your employer for completion. In addition, even if your workplace accident did not result in injury that is immediately apparent, report it to your employer. You now have record of the incident should any injuries emerge, and your employer may be able to prevent the incident from happening again.
Get Insurance Information
You should obtain the name and contact information of your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. They will be the primary point of contact for the claim, and your communications regarding future treatment and compensation for past treatments will take place between you and the insurance company.
File In a Timely Manner
You must file workers’ compensation claims in a timely manner or you risk denial of your claim. Similarly, appeals of denied claims must happen within 60 days.
If you have suffered an injury at work, it is often best to let a skilled attorney deal with the headache of filing or appealing workers’ compensation claims so you can recover comfortably. Shlesinger & deVillevenue can help you navigate your claim. We only accept payment if you win your claim. Contact us at (541) 485-8411 today for more information or a free consultation.
