It can be tempting to push on if you have an accident at work. You might do so because you feel the problem is minor, because you know there is a lot of work still to do before the day’s out or because you fear how your employer might respond. For example, you might fear they will fire you if they discover you injured yourself as they’ll consider you won’t be as fast at your job.
Firstly, while your employer might not be happy when they find out what happened, the law does not permit them to retaliate if you report the accident and file a claim.
Secondly, you should always report things straight away. There are several reasons for this:
You might not realize the full extent of your injuries
Let’s say you fell and hit your head on the ground. You might have a brain injury that needs immediate attention. Reporting your fall and getting medical attention gives a doctor a chance to spot any internal damage and do something before your condition worsens.
Workers’ compensation claims require you to report things within time limits
There is a maximum time allowed to report a workplace accident to your employer. Delaying could mean you lose your ability to claim workers’ compensation.
It helps you tie your injury to work
If you don’t report your injury until two weeks after the accident, the people dealing with your claim might say your injury happened away from work, so it is not their responsibility.
It can be hard to know what to do if you get injured at work. With legal help, you can understand the correct steps to take.