by Joanne Reed
Working is something that can be the "life" of someone who loves doing what they do. Even if there's such a thing as a work-life balance, sometimes, when you enjoy your work too much, the balance "blurs," and you have just as much fun working as you have fun living outside your shift. However, things can change when you experience a personal injury at work, as there are other things to consider besides your performance. As such, knowing what to consider legally if you have a personal injury at work is essential to give you a degree of assurance on your options should you suffer a personal injury in the workplace. According to expert Orlando injury attorneys, the first thing you must consider is familiarizing yourself with your case, the cause of injury, and who you believe to be responsible for it.
Do remember, however, that the tips presented in this article aren't total guarantees of what you should be doing legally. It's still best to seek the help and advice of a lawyer or a legal professional such as those here to understand the full extent of your options regarding a personal injury, especially for specific circumstances such as truck accidents.
Consider the Protocols, Rules of Engagement
According to Find Law, should you have experienced a personal injury at work that isn't life-threatening, try to check if there are actually protocols or rules of engagement in place for you to properly notify your immediate supervisors or managers of your situation. This means always making sure you can clarify the kinds of things you have to do according to your circumstance. You can do this in a variety of ways.
● Your company's size may determine the kind of people you should report to. Many large companies actually have their own human resources departments, which means they are the people to go to when you have a personal work injury. They may be the ones to contact and be able to direct you to what you to do next.
● If not a human resources department, you should check if you have guidelines in place for your company. Is there a handbook or perhaps a manual for you to take note of? If not, we suggest you work with a personal injury lawyer regarding what to do should your company not have any form of workplace injury protocols in place.
● Normally, rules of engagement involve filing a report to the appropriate department. This normally involves including the date of the injury, what exactly happened, the injury sustained because of the incident, and if there are any witnesses involved.
Consider the Injury, Treatment
If the kind of treatment you need is immediate, don't report it, but instead, try to get immediate medical attention from urgent care in Fort Collins or your own local area first. This is particularly important if the injury is something that is life-threatening. If it's not life-threatening, consider the kind of injury you have and the treatment you need. This allows you to choose the kind of medical attention you need, especially if you must start with emergency room treatment.
● If your manual or handbook includes a company-preferred doctor or an in-house medical team, then consider having them check your injury out first. If not, then perhaps a personal or family doctor would be extremely helpful in your situation.
● Always ensure your safety is covered, as this is the most essential part of the process. You can't work if you're injured, and you can't work correctly if you aren't healed. Focus on treatment and recovery, and make sure you get copies of reports, records, correspondences, receipts, and prescriptions, especially if you plan on filing a claim.
Consider the Claim, Negligence
It's difficult to make an assessment as to whether or not the company has actually committed an act of negligence on their part as providers of a safe working environment for you. This can be best determined by a labor lawyer, as they can best make this assessment of your workplace. However, a lot of cases of claims against employers normally fall under either workers' compensation, or are a case for someone like this personal injury law firm in Indianapolis, depending on the nature of the injuries sustained.
● Workers' compensation isn't the only kind of coverage employees can make use of. This might not happen, for instance, if your company actually has itself insured in situations related to workplace injury and recovery. This means you have to check if your company has a means to cover for your injuries should you need the assistance.
● Another way to see if you can gain compensation is when you feel that you were injured at work because of some third party's negligence. This can help you get workers' compensation benefits and have a claim against that party as well. These kinds of workplace injuries involve cases like car or delivery service accidents, malfunctions of machinery maintained or sold by outsiders, sites such as construction zones that are prone to injuries like falls, trips, and slips, and others.
Conclusion
When the question "Do you enjoy work?" is asked, the answer is relative to the person you're asking. However, it's undeniable that work can indeed comprise a major aspect of your life, and sometimes things that happen at work can greatly affect your personal life. These include a personal injury at work, as not only can this affect your performance and status at work in general but also aspects of your world outside the workplace. As such, it's important to remember that there are legal options available for you should you have a personal injury, and it's just as important to be aware of them.
Disclaimer: Please remember that this article does not serve as actual legal advice. It's advised you speak with a lawyer or a legal counsel to learn about the specifics of personal injuries at work and how they can be applied to your situation.
Joanne Reed
Joanne Reed has been writing about law and business for almost a decade and is currently writing her next big law project. She is an avid sports fan and loves watching games if she has free time.
