Knowing the importance of documenting work injuries
It’s extremely important to document your work injuries even though many people still try to hide them. There are various reasons for doing so like feeling ashamed or perhaps reasoning you can tough it out. This is obviously the wrong way to handle the situation, and here you will discover why it’s more beneficial for you to go through the motions and report your work-related injury.
It can help your case with a lawyer
One of the best ways to think about injury documentation is in light of the legal counsel you’ll get to fight for workers’ compensation. According to Emery Reddy, “Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that provides wage replacement and medical benefits to injured workers.” After an injury, it would be wise to consult with a workers’ compensation attorney to mitigate the factors of the incident and discuss options. From there you can determine if attaining this compensation is possible and take the appropriate legal actions to bring it to fruition. If you decide not to report the injury, then this can be harmful to your case and might result in a loss of benefits. Getting hurt at work is more common than you think, and there’s no shame in admitting an accident.
Immediate care ensures it won’t get worse
Another reason why it’s imperative you document work injuries is that whatever problem you experience needs to be addressed to prevent it from getting worse. For instance, if you got a bad cut at work and decided to not report it, then it might get infected and cause another more life-threatening complication. Even if you think you can treat it yourself, it’s never wise to keep it a secret from your employer. If they discover later that you did then it will result in a review of company safety procedures. It’s important you do what’s best for your well-being and those around you. This is especially true if blood is present because of pathogens and various other issues. Never hesitate to report and get treated for an injury, even if it’s just a scratch.
An employer can then warn others of various hazards
One of the benefits of reporting an injury is that your company will be enlightened to the realities of certain hazards. This helps them further the safety endeavors of the facility by addressing that particular hazard. This could be literally anything and sometimes the culprit is less tangible like a harmful gas or heat exposure. Each facility has its own hazards to contend with, which is why it’s important to know what your job is. If you slip at work on an unexpected leak from an unknown source then you should report it immediately even if you feel okay. This ensures that they will address the issue with something like a wet floor sign and they will actively discover the source of a leak.
Reporting injuries can save your life
In some cases, not reporting an injury can be life-threatening if you inhaled a toxic gas or have an infected wound. You should always be mindful of the Importance of reporting injuries even if it’s a potentially embarrassing situation that might be your fault. You should always effectively communicate with your superior regarding even the smallest details like if you have a headache. This will prompt them to conduct a safety inspection where you might discover a hazard that is affecting all workers. Another benefit to reporting is that you can have witnesses back up your story to strengthen it even further towards achieving the necessary compensation.
These are the reasons it’s important to document work injuries
All of these are exceptionally strong reasons why you need to document your injury at work, and they should never be actively hidden from any employer. This can put you and others in more danger and you should think about the well-being of the company as a whole. You might be entitled to workers’ compensation depending on the circumstances, and each case is different. Taking the necessary steps will give you peace of mind and the necessary medical attention needed to bring you back to good health!
Stephanie Caroline Snyder is a 27-year-old who graduated from The University of Florida in 2018. She majored in Communications with a minor in mass media. Currently, she is an Author and a Writer. She was born and raised in Panama City, Florida, where her family still lives.
