Failing
to report an accident can lead to several problems. If you do not
report an accident on time, your employer can deny you medical treatment
and out of work benefits. The workers’ compensation insurance carrier
will also question why your employer did not report the accident on
time. More often however, if you do not report an
injury when it happens, your employer can deny the accident occurred or
may claim it happened outside of work.
What
should you do? The first thing you need to do is report the injury and DOCUMENT the
fact that you reported the injury. I love email and there is no better
way to document an injury than emailing your team leader, supervisor,
company HR, etc. I have seem dozens of situations where an injured
worker is encouraged not to report the injury because the employer will
"take care" of the employee directly. Employers may even lie to employees by telling them that if they report the injury to the insurance company other employees may need to
be laid off, bonuses missed and possibly even a loss of job just because
you had the bad luck of getting injured. Formally report the accident to your employer in writing, even if you think
you are not seriously hurt. By reporting the accident, you protect
yourself against the employer who might claim that you were injured away
from the workplace. When possible, report the accident in writing or in
the presence of a friend or reliable witness. If you are a union member, you
should also report the accident to your union representative in addition
to your employer.
If you are injured at work, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits including wage loss, medical benefits and possibly retraining. Atkinson Law Office, P.A. and Minnesota Disability have represented working families with sound legal advice and guidance when they need a lawyer most. You will received a FREE consultation...yes, it's absolutely FREE! We have a team of Workers’ Compensation attorneys and professional who work tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers. We provide free consultations to inform you of your rights and obligations under the law and strongly recommend that you call us today if you have been hurt at work. Our phones are answered 24/7 and you can frequently speak to an attorney any time of the day or night. 651-414-078. We represent clients throughout the entire state of Minnesota. Visit us at www.mndisability.com
