We all understand how tough it can be to go through a workplace injury with all the financial, emotional, and physical strains on the victim. You’ve probably gone through several articles detailing what you need to do in such cases and how to effectively handle yourself after a workplace injury.
But what about the things you should not do after such an incident? As a group of competent NC workers compensation lawyers, we have seen several instances where small mistakes on part of the workplace injury victims ruined their chances of securing fair compensation.
Not contacting an able lawyer is only one of such mistakes, in this article, we’ll discuss the five most important blunders to avoid if you’re involved in a workplace accident:
#1) Don’t Delay Reporting Your Injuries
People step back from reporting such occurrences immediately out of fear of being fired or because they feel that the effects of the injury will subside after a day or two. But in reality, it is never a good idea to delay reporting your sufferings to your employer.
Your employer can’t fire you for simply getting a slip and fall or any other form of accidental injury; accidents happen – and if your employer had not arranged for adequate protection, then your position in the matter will be even stronger.
If you hold back from reporting your workplace accident injuries, then you’ll give your employer a bigger reason to suspect the validity of your claims. You can’t have that in your case, especially with all the damage you had to take because of the accident.
Moreover, some lawyers won’t even consider your case worth fighting if you unnecessarily delayed reporting it.
#2) Never Hide Any Previous Injuries
If you were injured on work in the past and did not report it, then you must disclose that information in your case, even if your current damages have nothing to do with that previous injury. The same also applies to any injury you may have received outside of work.
By disclosing this information, you’ll avoid being tackled with compensation fraud claims, i.e. the insurance adjuster will suggest that your current condition is related to your previous injuries and not to the incident. If you report those injuries beforehand, then you’ll have a much better fighting chance.
Remember, you should never hide any facts from your lawyer.
#3) Don’t Avoid Giving The Full Picture
Any workplace accident will cause some primary and secondary injuries. You must report all of them in your workplace accident claim to avoid any troubles later one. For instance, a fall may have primarily hurt your back but also caused damage to your leg, trouble with your motor functions, blurred vision, and so on. But if you only report it as a back injury, then you won’t be entitled to proper compensation.
Plus, if you bring it up, later on, the insurance adjuster and your employer will suspect you of insurance fraud. You should get diagnosed immediately and tell your doctor all that you’re feeling so that everything can be documented from the very beginning.
#4) Don’t Refuse To Work If You Can
If you’ve been in an accident but can return to work after a couple of days, then you should do so.
Refusing to work when you are physically able to resume your duties will only affect the validity of your claim. The employer will use your lack of cooperation as a way to prove that you voluntarily caused a loss of income, and thus your compensation will be cut accordingly.
Plus, you can also be rightfully terminated for your refusal to work. If you feel that you can’t continue your work under the current circumstances, you’ll have to report this to your employer with documented evidence of the severity of your injuries.
But as soon as you recover, you should be back to work.
#5) Never Handle Your Case On Your Own
You all knew this was coming and rightfully so, if you decide to handle your case on your own then know that you’ll be the only one in the case without legal representation. Lawyers always strive to ensure that the rights of their clients are not violated (i.e. that you are fairly compensated for your losses.)
Instead of settling as soon as you get the first offer, explore your legal rights first and contact our firm of competent NC workers compensation lawyers so that your interests are represented effectively. Call us today for free legal consultation and more!
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