Injuring yourself at work can be a highly distressing experience. It can cause a huge amount of physical and emotional pain and leave you vulnerable in potentially dangerous situations.
Furthermore, sustaining an injury at work can rule you out from completing your job for weeks or even months, which is worrying news if you work on a ‘pay on results’ or commission basis or if you work for yourself. You may find yourself without income for long periods, which can hugely impact your quality of life and your health and wellbeing.
What’s more, it is imperative that you ascertain whether the incident was your fault or not. While it is natural to blame yourself in light of an injury, it may be that a piece of equipment has failed, you were not properly trained, or it was the fault of your boss or a colleague.
Of course, the prospect of all these factors can be overwhelming if you have just hurt yourself, so it is crucial that you stay calm and follow the steps we have outlined below.
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This is what to do if you have injured yourself at work:
Reach out to a personal injury lawyer
One of the most vital steps you should consider taking if you have injured yourself at work is to consult with a specialist personal injury lawyer – such as those at Spohrer Dodd trial attorneys.
You should do this because they can help you ascertain whether you are entitled to compensation if the accident was not your fault.
When you have just injured yourself, you may be confused about what happened, uncertain about whether to kick up a fuss or work out if the injury is your fault or that of someone else. Given your professional relationships with your colleagues and boss, you may be reluctant to ask questions – which is what your personal injury lawyer is for.
This also protects you if you lose income, have to spend money on medical treatment or any other negative impact on your life that wasn’t your fault.
Notify the management team
When you have injured yourself at work, you must let your boss know what has happened as soon as possible.
This will enable them to help you directly after the incident, call an ambulance if necessary and ensure the area is safe if you cannot immediately move.
Notifying the management team will also ensure that they can start investigating what went wrong, and whether the injury was due to malfunctioning equipment or an unsafe workplace. This prevents anyone else from being hurt, and helps them make any necessary changes to the business.
In addition, they can help you take time to recover by calling in other employees to cover you, make sure you are receiving the correct medical treatment, and letting your loved ones know what has happened.
Consult a doctor
Of course, if you have been injured at work, then it is imperative that you consult a doctor or other relevant medical professional as soon as possible.
One of the worst mistakes that many people make is attempting to play down the injury as nothing, only to do more damage by not understanding what it is.
This is why many sportspeople pick up chronic injuries – because they attempt to keep competing through the pain of injury.
Don’t make this silly mistake. Get yourself checked out by a trusted local doctor, and follow the treatment options they set out for you.
If you need serious medical procedures, ensure your loved ones are taken care of first. If you have children that need picking up from school, arrange for your partner or a trusted friend or family member to do it on your behalf, for example.
Take time off work
Lastly, you may have to take a significant amount of time off work if you have injured yourself at work.
The duration of your leave will, of course, depend upon the severity of your injuries, but this is a crucial step in the recovery process. Although it is tempting to return to work early – especially if you are low on money – this may only make the injury worse in the future.
The worst problem to have in this scenario is a recurring injury. It will negatively impact your life for years into the future and stop you from performing your role properly.
Instead, take the time to heal and return when you fully recover.
