KEY STEPS TO TAKE AFTER WORK RELATED ACCIDENT
posted on 11 November 2011 | posted in
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For everyone's safety and protection, there are some important steps to take after a work related accident occurs. The first step is to have the employee or employees involved in the accident report that an accident has occured to the employer. This could be the human resources or personnel office, the employee's direct supervisor or foreman, or anyone else who has authority over the employees. Although it is not mandatory that the accident report be in writing, as soon as possible after an accident happens it is an excellent idea for all of those involved to write down their recollection of exactly what happened. This information may prove valuable several months down the road but can't help either the employee or the employer if the information is not written down for the record. This written record can also prove to be valuable when dealing with the insurance company.
Any employee injured in a work related accident should request immediate medical attention. If there is not a nurse or other trained medical professional at the job site, this may involve calling an ambulance service or travelling to the nearest hospital or urgent care clinic. Even if the employee insists he or she feels okay after a work related accident, the employer should insist on a medical examination to prevent health problems from cropping up days or weeks after the incident has occured.
The employer should be proactive and contact the company's insurance provider so that a determination can be made as to the eligibility of the injured employee to receive worker's compensation. The insurance carrier must be contacted within 10 days of the accident's occurence. If the employer refuses to report the accident, the employee should contact the insurance carrier directly or get a consultation with an attorney specializing in workplace accidents and compensation. If a third party was responsible for causing the accident and the work related accident causes the employee to lose his ability to work or his income from working, it may be possible to file a claim or lawsuit to recover damages from this third party for their liability.
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