Being hurt on the job as a result of your employer’s negligence is unacceptable. Employers are expected to adhere strictly to health and safety regulations. If you have been hurt at work or on a job, and it is not your fault, then this page will seek to explain to you your legal rights. Also, if your employer fails to fulfill its obligation to provide a safe and healthy working environment, then it is very likely that accidents can and will happen. If you have been injured at work, you must report your injury directly to your employer.
Many states require you to do so the same day, or the next day. Here are some things that you must do if you have been hurt on the job.
You Apply for Workers Compensation Benefit
Workers’ compensation benefits should be at the top of your list of things to do. According to professional attorneys, worker’s compensation benefits can award you up to $1,000 a week. If you are unable to work, then this will be a great asset to you and can see you through the period of your recovery. The amount of money you will be entitled to will be completely dependent on the nature and severity of your injury.
The money is awarded to you to help you to recover from your injury and still support your family. Being out of work because of an injury can prove detrimental to your quality of life, and your families, so it is important that you do seek legal aid and seek a worker’s compensation benefit. You may also be entitled to a one-off disability payment as part of your compensation benefit.
Pursue Legal Action
If you have been the victim of an injury in your workplace that was not your fault, then you must pursue legal action in addition to your compensatory benefit. If your employer’s negligence has caused your injury, you may be entitled to huge compensation from the company of which you work. Many personal injury attorneys work on a no-win-no-fee basis and will only take on your case if you have a good chance of winning. After you take legal action against your company, they will likely make you redundant, and during the case, you may be offered paid vacation.
Depending on the size of your employer, they may potentially offer you an out-of-court settlement which can be huge. If you work for a small company, however, that will be incredibly unlikely. By pursuing legal action against your former employers you ensure they will put in place safeguarding measures that will stop anybody else from hurting themselves in a similar way to you. If you allow them to continue to behave negligently, others could potentially get hurt.
See a Doctor
You have a right to see a doctor and seek medical attention following a workplace injury; you also have the right to return to work providing your doctor sees no issue with that. Many workplaces will attempt to prevent you from taking time off to see a doctor, but it is your legal right to do so, and they cannot do anything to stop you.
A Workplace Tribunal
If you disagree with an employer’s decision to not compensate you for the injury, or any decision that they may make concerning your injury, you have a right to appeal their decision and go through a workplace tribunal. You also have the right to seek legal representation throughout the process.
Insurance
Another right you have after being injured at work is to refuse your employer’s suggestion that you must use your health insurance to pay for medical treatment. In a situation where your employer is responsible for your injury, they must pay for your healthcare. Many employers will attempt to brush your injury under the rug and insist that you pay for your healthcare, which you are entitled to refuse to do. It is best that, as aforementioned, you seek legal aid during these procedures, as there are many things you may not know that can come in handy, and many tricks your employer may attempt to pull that are illegal. A professional personal injury attorney will be able to properly advise you on your other rights and help make the process easier.
Now you know a few of your legal rights when you have been the victim of a workplace injury. Workplace injuries are not as common nowadays as they once were, but when they do happen, and it’s good to know what your rights are when they do.
