If you’ve been injured at work, you should follow these four steps:
1. Report the accident to your supervisor.
Injured employees should immediately report their accident to their supervisor. The failure to report your injury within the appropriate time frame could put your legal rights at risk. You have a right, and a responsibility, to report your injury. If a supervisor tries to intimidate you into not reporting a workplace injury, please contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
2. Seek professional medical assistance.
If you require emergency medical care, you should call 911 to receive immediate assistance. Otherwise, ask your employer for the contact information for an approved doctor so that you can schedule an appointment for treatment. Many work injuries are worse than they initially appear, you should always get yourself a comprehensive medical evaluation. This is critical both for your health and for your ability to recover injury compensation.
3. File a formal injury report.
Georgia law requires you to file a formal report of your injury within 30 days of the initial incident. Even if you have already notified your supervisors, you will still need to fill out all official paperwork. The failure to do so could cost you your workers’ compensation benefits.
4. Return to work, but only when you are ready.
Once your doctor determines that you are able to return to work, you should do so. The failure to comply could put your workers’ compensation rights at risk. In some cases, you may be asked to return to work, but you may be advised that you will have certain restrictions on physical activity restrictions.
It is important to note that workers’ compensation benefits will cover your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages, but it will not fully compensate you for all you’ve lost. Damages such as pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, loss of life enjoyment, and loss of consortium are not covered in workers’ compensation claims. For this reason, anyone who has suffered work injuries - particularly if they were severe or catastrophic- should immediately consult with an experienced injury lawyer to explore the possibility of a third-party liability claim.