If you’ve been seriously injured at your job, you’ll need time and good medical care to recover. Rehabilitation can take some time, but you will be able to improve if you are dedicated and follow the right steps. Here are four keys to help you make the most of your recovery and regain as much function as you can after your injury.
Seek Treatment Right Away
While in most instances, a severe workplace injury will require immediate medical care, there may be cases where you don’t realize an injury is serious at the time. Anytime you’ve been injured at work, you should consider obtaining medical attention right away. A doctor can assess your condition and recommend treatment. In many cases, time is essential to a full recovery. When you delay treatment, you risk losing out on a percentage of your ability to recover fully.
Seek Out Legal Advice
You can’t assume that your employer will take all the steps to provide the best care for you after an injury. Many people make the mistake of waiting until they receive a settlement offer before seeking out legal advice. However, it is a good idea to contact a personal injury attorney, like Steven W Harris, in the beginning so you understand your rights and responsibilities in a workplace injury.
Follow Medical Recommendations
You must follow the recommendations of the workers’ compensation doctor to ensure you receive the benefits to which you’re entitled. For instance, you must attend physical therapy if it’s prescribed or go to the doctor permitted by your workers’ comp insurance provider. If you fail to follow the recommendations and requirements, you may lose out on your benefits.
Don’t Settle Until You Recover
Rehabilitation can be complicated and long-term for a serious injury. It can take up to a year before a full prognosis is known, especially if a full recovery isn’t possible. Don’t get in a hurry to settle with the workers’ comp insurance or to try to return to work before you’re ready. You may require multiple surgeries or long-term therapy before any permanent damage is identified. You want to exhaust all of your options before accepting the final prognosis on your condition.
It can take months of rehabilitation following a workplace injury before you recover or before a determination can be made of your future. Make sure you seek medical attention right away, follow your doctor’s orders, obtain legal counsel, and wait for a settlement to ensure you are ready to return to work or to move on to the next phase of your life after your injury.
Author Info: Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, CA. She enjoys kayaking and reading books by the lake. You can find her on Twitter.
