Workplace Accident – What You Should Do
Being victim to an accident at work is probably confusing and stressful at times. Besides the fact that you can experience many mental and physical health injuries, you may even have more worries to carry on with you. In such cases, finding reliable information can be difficult, leading people not to claim compensation after they suffer an accident at the workplace.
Your employer must be responsible and ensure that all of his or her employees are safe. If you feel concerned about not being safe at work, we’ve gathered here some steps you can take in case of a workplace accident.
Commonly, accidents occur during your working hours. Regardless of the type of business, accidents and injuries can happen when you expect them the least. Annually, millions of workers from around the globe die because of work-related accidents or illnesses.
According to the 2020 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, US industries costs reached $1 billion/week or $59 billion/year due to work-related injuries.
Top causes of workplace injuries:
- Handling objects
- Being hit by objects
- Vehicle crashes
- Awkward postures
- Slip or trip without fall
- Running equipment or machines
- Falls to a lower level
But fortunately, proper safety procedures can prevent those accidents, or at least, minimize them. Here’s what you should do in case you’ve suffered an accident at the workplace.
What is a workplace accident?
So, your worst nightmare happened: an accident at work occurred, and you’ve been critically injured. Sometimes, it can be easy to lose control and fall victim to a workplace tragedy. If employees paid more attention, no one would get hurt. Those of you out there wondering what a workplace accident is – it’s an unplanned event that may cause harm to workers or damage property. Also, one of the following circumstances is met:
- Produces unconsciousness
- Put life in danger
- Involves arm or leg fracture
- Leads to significant blood loss
- May involve amputation or one arm, leg, foot, or hand
- Causes burn to the most portion of the body
- Causes loss of sight
Focus on your injuries
Focusing on your injuries is by far the most important thing to do after a workplace accident. In the immediate next minutes of the accident, you should receive the workplace’s first-aider. Every workplace is legally obligated to hold a first aid kit. After the accident, demand a coworker to find the aider for you. Stay still until you are adequately treated.
Sometimes, injuries may appear minor. But, beware that even the most minor damage can become a lifelong illness if you refuse to receive proper treatment, and in time. Thus, it would help if you got a full valuation of your injuries by a dedicated and qualified medical physician.
Speak to a dedicated personal injury attorney
Make sure that you speak to a dedicated personal injury about your workplace accident. You can get free legal advice in the UK, the U.S., or many other countries, about how to claim. Legal issues can be very traumatic and distressing, and without proper knowledge, it can be quite overwhelming. How to sue will help you remove the pressure and give you a helping hand you need at this challenging moment. You will find useful tips that will walk you through the process of making all kinds of claims, including how to sue your employer. For even more support, make sure to call and speak to the friendly advisers, available 24 hours/day, seven days per week.
Make sure your coworkers are aware of the incident
If you were alone at the scene of the incident, make sure to make your colleagues aware of it. It’s an important aspect that will help you claim compensation. Often, employers can put a lot of pressure on their workers, leading them to experience severe accidents at work. Thus, they might even deny the accident. We understand how awful this sounds, but bear in mind that if there isn’t evidence that the accident happened at work, you won’t receive compensation.
Report the accident to your manager
Similar to the above point, you must report the accident to your manager immediately. If you’ve experienced a severe accident at work, then your employer is legally obligated to report the accident to the Health and Safety Executive. Don’t waste time to question who is at fault for the accident. Even if you start blaming yourself, it doesn’t mean that your employer is not legally at fault for the accident. However, a work injury lawyer will be most qualified to assess your problem in court.
Your employer must protect you and your coworkers and teach you all about health and safety at the workplace. They must also pay you sick pay. Give you time off due to the accident at work, and report your accident.
Reporting an accident at work:
- Death
- Major injuries (broken arm, leg, or ribs)
- Disease
- Other injuries that stop an employee from doing their job
Keep in mind that making an injury claim is the best decision if you’ve been injured in an accident at work. If you believe that your employer is at fault, you have the right to claim within three years from the accident date, and you will generally need a personal injury lawyer to represent you.
Take photos and videos to make a compensation claim
It is vital to claim compensation if you’ve suffered an accident at work. But how to gather information about how the accident happened to use it and defend yourself? By taking pictures and videos. It’s an excellent way to protect yourself from untrue accusations a disreputable may make. But make sure not to get penalized by your employer for using your mobile phone during your working times. If you’re free to use it, then record everything from the scene of the accident. You can never have enough evidence, so, take multiple videos and photos, so you can get the compensation you deserve.