What To Do If You Have An Accident At Work

Accidents at work happen all of the time – and, thankfully, most of them are not serious. However, because your employer is legally responsible for your health and safeties while you are in the workplace, there are a few things you must do as soon as you have an accident.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of those essential actions and explore why you should take them. If the situation ever arises when things escalate and legal action is needed, then you will know your best course of action. So, without further ado, let’s take a quick look at all you need to know and do.

Seek medical help if required

Your health is the most important thing at stake here, so if you need medical help, get it. Your employer is responsible for getting you to a medical center for treatment if you have had an accident on work premises, so take up any offer if you need it. Part of the medical procedure will be to document your injuries, so this should all be taken care of regardless of whether you report them or not.

Report the accident

Even if you think the accident is minor and you don’t feel any effects, you have to report it. Some injuries can take a while to develop, and if you haven’t reported it, there’s every chance your employer will be free from any responsibility in legal terms.

Collect information

Once you can, it is vital that you start to gather information about the accident from as many people and sources as you possibly can. Ask for witnesses to share what they saw, look into CCTV recordings, and also take photos of the accident area. The quicker you do this, the better because there is every chance that your employer will have tidied away anything that could harm their defense. Yes, this might be impossible if you are severely injured, but perhaps it’s something you can discuss with a work colleague beforehand. If you are out of action, they could take the photos, and vice versa if the situations were reversed.

Call an attorney

While the incident is fresh in your mind, call an injury lawyer to explain your case. They will listen to what you have been through and decide whether they will accept you onto their caseload. A lot of this will depend on the evidence you have to back up your story, so the more you have, the better. Also, the more evidence you have collected, the less work the lawyer will have to do – meaning you get to keep more of your payout, should you get one.

Keep relations positive

Putting a claim in for a personal injury case at work can lead to repercussions, not least to the relationship that you have with your employer. However, by staying calm and keeping your decorum, you will have more chance of avoiding conflict. It’s a legal process, nothing more, and nothing less. And, if your employer is genuinely in the wrong, then most of them will accept it – no matter what the end result is.

We hope this has helped – until next time!