Anyone can get injured at work, from blue to white-collar workers. If you suffer a work-related injury, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation will handle your claim and ensure you are compensated as you deserve.
However, you should report your injury sooner, if not immediately, when you are injured. Here is why you should do this.
Establish the injury as work-related
Workers’ compensation protects employees who are injured while in the line of duty. Thus, you may need to establish that you got your injury at work, which is easier when you report immediately. Of course, some injuries, such as back pain from sitting down for hours or carpal tunnel syndrome from typing, are gradual, which means you can’t report them immediately. But the sooner you do it, the better.
Get medical help
Reporting an injury to your employer sooner allows you to get the medical help you need. Some minor injuries can worsen, leading to major complications that could have been avoided. When you report your injury, your employer will contact a medical provider to examine and treat you. And after treatment, you can go home to rest.
Investigate the accident scene
Another reason to report an injury sooner is to allow your employer to investigate the scene. When they do this immediately after an accident occurs, they can gather more information from witnesses and the surrounding and, in turn, employ solutions to prevent injuries in the future. When you report late, the scene may have changed. Besides, witnesses may forget crucial details that could have helped your claim.
Reporting an injury sooner offers significant benefits. However, your employer may not protect you as required, or your claim may be denied. In such an instance, you should obtain more information about your case to protect your rights.