After suffering a serious workplace accident, the last thing a Virginia Beach worker will be thinking about is finances. The injured worker will be more concerned about getting the medical care necessary to heal. There will also be the question of whether or not the worker will be able to heal or if the injuries are permanent. Only later will the worker start to turn to finances, and particularly ask the question, “How am I going to pay for all this?”
Fortunately, in most construction accident scenarios, an injured worker can qualify for workers’ compensation benefits to pay for his or her medical care and time unable to work. However, in order for a workers’ compensation claim to be successful, the worker will want to do several things to protect his or her right to benefits and compensation.
Here is the bare minimum you should do to protect your rights after a workplace injury:
— Immediately seek medical attention.
— Tell your construction manager or employer about your injuries. Write down the position and name of the person you told.
— Record the contact information and names of the people who witnessed your accident and injuries happen.
— Preserve all evidence of your injuries. Take photographs of your injuries and the accident area. Keep the tools and equipment that may have hurt you.
After doing the above, you may also want to get in touch with a lawyer. Although a workers’ compensation attorney represents an additional expense, the assistance could pay you dividends in the long term. Having a lawyer by your side will also reduce the stress and anxiety of the worker’s compensation claim filing process as your attorney will take the weight of this responsibility off your hands.
Source: FindLaw, “Construction injury overview,” accessed Jan. 12, 2017