7 Right Strategies That You Can Adopt After A Work-Related Accident

Work related accidents can be very distressing. Besides the injury or injuries that occur, employees might be worried when working in certain areas and with certain equipment, and also finding reliable information about the nature of the accident and what went wrong could be somewhat difficult.

Focus on the injury

Health comes first, which means this is the most important step you have to take after an accident occurs. The first-aider at your workplace should be treating the injury – as workplaces need to have a first aid kid as well as a designated first aider. If you’re not sure of what happened or you’re unsure about the nature of your injuries, the best course of action is to stay still.

Injuries could appear minor at first, but you can’t know for sure. First you should get a full assessment by a qualified medical practitioner, and if everything is safe then you should consider going to a hospital. In the event that you suffered a head injury, your ability to make decision might be impaired. If there’s doubt about your mental state, it is ideal to go to a medical facility by ambulance.

Inform your colleagues and manager

In the event that you were working alone, make sure that you inform your colleagues about the accident. This is an important step for 2 reasons: it will ensure that your colleagues will not go through the same accidents as you, and the employer will not be able to dispute the fact that the accident did occur. Even if you decide not to make a compensation claim, at least your colleagues will be safe.

Similarly, it is also important to report the accident to your manager – many companies have this as part of the procedure, and the employee could be breaching protocol if they do not report the accident appropriately.

The Accident Book

Chances are your company has an accident book. While some employers feel reluctant when it comes to recording workplace accidents in the accident book, it is very important that you don’t let the accident unreported. In some cases, companies aim to improve the number of days without work accidents, but you should not let yourself pressured into not reporting it. If your employer does not record the accident and refuses to do so, the best course of action is to write to him, thus there is a “paper trail” which shows that you tried to report the accident. In the event that your employer continues to refuse to record the accident, this could result in sufficient grounds for resignation and filing a claim for constructive dismissal. However, it is ideal to seek legal advice before taking such major steps.

Evidence and Symptoms

If you do want to make a compensation claim or if you want to defend yourself against false accusations, taking photo/video evidence is important. In case it is allowed at your workplace, you can use your phone and take video and photo evidence of the location of the accident. This will be compelling in case you want to make a claim, and it will also make sure that the accident will not be swept under the rug or the location “fixed” by your employer.

Another thing you should do is make a list of your symptoms. The doctors and nurses might not always note all your symptoms, and in case you have multiple symptoms, hospitals might concentrate mainly on what is considered a serious injury. However, what was considered a minor injury can become severe, and due to the fact that there are no medical records of those symptoms, it could be difficult to attribute them to the work injury.

In some cases, personal injury claims might take a long time to resolve, especially when the injuries are more complex. Over time, memory fades, which is why keeping a diary of your symptoms will be beneficial in the long run when it comes to helping explain the impact of the accident.

See a doctor again

Depending on the nature of your injuries, maybe you already saw your GP or you went to a hospital. However, even if things are going well and you’re making a good recovery, it is recommended to keep attending the GP as many times as necessary, even for “smaller” symptoms. If you stop seeking medical attention, it will be difficult to make the claim that the injuries were long lasting, due to the fact that medical expert would point out that if things were serious further medical attention would’ve been necessary. This could end up undermining your claim.

Keep a record

Once again, due to the fact that personal injury claims can take a long time to resolve, keeping a record of your expenses and your loses can be very helpful, as you might not be able to remember everything little thing as time goes on. You can record everything either on paper, on your computer, or on your phone. In addition, you can take photos of your receipts. Compensation works as a way to put you back on track in the position that you would have had if the accident did not happen. If for example you lost pay, at the end of things you should recover all lost pay. If you lost the chance at a promotion or bonus, future loses should also be recoverable.

Speaking to a lawyer

Before searching for Brisbane accident lawyers and finally contacting them about your claim, there are certain things you need to keep in mind. Besides keeping track of your symptoms and your financial situation, you should know that reviewing your case and understanding your specific situation and needs takes time. Try and be patient, and during that time make sure you keep gathering information necessary that will help your attorney move the case closer to reaching a settlement. In addition, it goes without saying that you should not sign any documents that could result in you accepting financial compensation, as it could end up damaging your case.