What to Do If You Are Injured at Work

What to Do If You Are Injured at Work Date: Oct 12, 2018

Knowing what to do if you are injured at work is crucial to ensure you get the help and benefits you need. In Illinois, you must follow specific steps so your injury is covered by workers’ compensation. Making mistakes can hurt your workers’ compensation claim. Call workers’ compensation lawyer George Argionis, he will walk you through the process.

What to Do After a Workplace Accident

If you are injured at work in Illinois, you will want to follow these four steps.

1. Report the Injury to Your Employer

Always report your injury immediately; it is better if you do it in writing. Usually, your employer will have a form to fill out. Also always try to get a copy of your report. Workers’ compensation insurance companies often deny claims because you did not report them immediately. Even if your Your employer may have a specific process for reporting a work injury. You may need to report your injury to your manager, for example, or your supervisor. It is important to follow that process and to report the injury as quickly as possible.

In Illinois, you have 45 days to report your injury. If you do not report a work injury in that time frame, you may be denied benefits. Also, the sooner you report the injury, the sooner your employer can file paperwork on your behalf, including reporting the injury to the insurance carrier or workers’ compensation administrator.

If you have missed more than three days of work due to your injury, payments of your benefits can only begin if your injury has been properly reported.

2. Obtain Medical Care

Seek medical care at once; workers compensation insurance companies often deny claims because the worker failed to go see the doctor immediately. If your work injury is severe or potentially life-threatening, call 911 or ask a colleague to do so for you. Even if you do not think your injuries are very critical, get medical care as soon as possible.

Some injuries — including soft tissue injuries and head injuries — may not seem dangerous initially, even if they are severe. Only a doctor can tell you whether you have been significantly injured and can start medical treatment. Workers’ compensation in Illinois covers all your reasonable and work-related injuries are covered by workers’ compensation, so there is no reason to delay treatment.

3. Keep Track of Your Injury, Costs and Time Missed at Work

As soon as you are injured, start keeping records. Take photos of the area where you were injured, if you can, as well as pictures of your injuries. Keep any receipts for medical care, medicine or anything else related to your injury and list all the hours you have missed at work due to your injury.

You should also keep a notebook of symptoms, medical issues, medical appointments and anything else that may be relevant. Start by writing down when and where you were injured, what happened at the moment of injury and anyone who may have seen what happened. The more you keep track of information, the more data you and your attorney will have in case your employer disputes any part of your account.

4. Retain a Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Workers’ compensation insurance companies do not want you to get a lawyer, because they want to control your benefits. The insurance company is not looking out for your bests interests, and they never explain the process or tell you all of your options. You need a workers compensation attorney who will be on your side, answer all of your questions, and get you the benefits your are entitle too. Call Chicago workers compensation lawyer George Argionis. Whether your benefits are late or your claim is denied, your attorney can work to get you your rightful benefits.

What to Do If You Are Injured at Work

If you are injured at work and would like to know what an attorney can do for you, contact Argionis & Associates for a free consultation. You risk nothing in speaking to one of our Illinois attorneys. Argionis & Associates can help on your way to recovery.

George Argionis

George Argionis has over 20 years of experience in handling cases involving auto collisions, premises injuries, medical malpractice, product liability, construction-related and work-related injuries. He has dedicated his career to helping restore lives both emotionally and economically.