Nobody wants to think about the possibility of getting hurt at work, but the reality is that it happens all the time. You may never experience an injury on the job, but if you do, you must handle the situation correctly. If you don’t, you may run into problems getting your medical bills paid. You may miss out on paychecks and could even lose your job. Be sure to make these contacts if you are ever hurt on the job.
Your Supervisor
The entire process of handling a workplace injury correctly starts with your immediate supervisor. Your employer has a chain of command, and you cannot skip ahead. Your situation must go to your boss, then to that person’s boss, and so on until everyone who needs to know about the incident has been brought up to speed. The sooner you do that, the sooner the entire workers’ comp process can get started and the less likely it is that you will encounter problems. Make sure you provide the notification in writing if possible, or at the very least by email.
Your Attorney
Anytime you suffer an injury, you should contact a capable workers comp attorney right away. There are decisions you will be made immediately after your accident that you should only make with the advice of an expert, someone who is on your side and has your best interests at heart. Your employer may try to minimize costs by reducing what they pay on your medical bills and what they pay directly to you. Your attorney will advocate for you while you recover so that you aren’t denied benefits that are rightly yours. The same reasoning applies when dealing with insurance, as you’ll need a capable attorney to make sure the full amount is awarded to you.
Your Family and Friends
Obviously, you know to contact your spouse or significant other and your children. However, you may need to talk to friends or go a little further up the family tree for some other purposes. You may need to enlist the help of siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, or your parents to help with any of a variety of things while you are recovering. You may need someone to watch your kids while your spouse is with you, or you may need someone to check in on your house while everyone is out. Build a team that will help you handle your daily needs.
Even jobs that seem very safe sometimes lead to injuries requiring hospitalization. Don’t think it can’t happen to you. Be prepared to make the necessary contacts just in case.
Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.
