Top Mistakes People Make After Suffering a Workplace Injury

Suffering a workplace injury can be stressful and traumatizing. Not only do victims have to deal with the physical pain and loss of mobility caused by their injury, but they also often worry about their job security and reputation at work. Because of the flood of emotions caused by workplace injuries, there are many mistakes that are common among victims.

Learn how to avoid the most common workplace injury mistakes—and if you’ve been injured at work, call Thiry & Caddell at 251-336-3627 to set up a consultation.

Failing to Report the Injury

This is perhaps the most common mistake made by those who have been injured at work. People may hide their injuries because they are afraid it will make them look incompetent, cause them to lose their jobs, or lead to disciplinary action. They may then decide to report the injury when they realize that they need medical care. However, this is the wrong way to go about it.

If you report an injury hours or days after it occurs, your manager may immediately be suspicious. This is a common way that individuals pass off non-work-related injuries as work-related, and you do not want to be lumped in with them. Report your injury as soon as it occurs so you can get the care you need.

Not Going to the Doctor

You may feel fine after a workplace accident and want to move on from the incident as quickly as possible. You decide to waive your right to medical care so you can get back to work. But when your injury worsens over the following days, you decide to seek care. This makes it far harder to get the workers’ compensation you are entitled to.

The company may claim that your injury was not serious enough if you didn’t need care right away, or even that you were injured somewhere else and then tried to pin it on your place of employment. Furthermore, waiting to seek care could worsen your injuries and give the insurance company more leeway to deny you compensation.

Not Documenting the Accident

If workers’ compensation worked the way it was designed to, it would be easy for injured workers to report an injury, receive the treatment they need, and get partial wages while recovering. Unfortunately, many companies demand extra documentation from workers.

It is crucial that you thoroughly document your accident, refer to coworkers who observed the accident, and write down everything you remember as soon as possible. Doing so can help you strengthen your workers’ compensation claim and streamline the process. When you report the accident to your supervisor, ensure that you ask about your company’s documentation and reporting requirements.

Being Unclear About What Happened

Accuracy is paramount when you are filing a workers’ compensation claim. If your story changes over time or you are too vague, that raises a red flag in the eyes of the insurance company. An evolving story or one without key details is a story that may have been falsified.

This is one reason it’s important to write down everything you remember about the accident as soon as you have time—it keeps the details fresh in your mind. Whenever you are asked to recount the incident, speak slowly and choose your words carefully. It’s better to take your time than to rush and make mistakes.

Ignoring Workers’ Compensation Rights

Too many workers are willing to forgo the benefits they are entitled to in order to benefit their company. It’s not worth it—injuries like yours are exactly why your company carries workers’ compensation insurance. Don’t be a martyr for the sake of your company. Report your injury right away, review your knowledge of workers’ compensation rights and requirements, and follow up if there are any delays with your claim. You don’t deserve to be left shouldering the costs of a workplace injury.

Injured at Work? Call Thiry & Caddell Today

The workers’ compensation system is designed to protect employees like you. If your company denies your claim or tries to convince you that you do not qualify for benefits, let us help. Call Thiry & Caddell at 251-336-3627 or send us a message online to talk to one of our team members about your next steps.