Personal Injury Lawyer | Hurt At Work
Personal Injury Lawyer | Hurt At Work
Personal Injury Lawyer | While the following should provide some useful general information, please do not hesitate to contact a Charleston personal injury lawyer.
Step 1: Notify Your Employer Right Away
The very first thing you need to do after being hurt at work is notify your employer — preferably in writing. Type or email a letter explaining what happened, and be sure that you keep a copy for yourself.
If you’ve already reported the injury orally, make a note of the date, the time, the name of the person you talked to, their position in the company, and their exact response. Then, follow up with a written letter to the employer, confirming the oral report. The sooner you have something in writing, the better.
This step is crucial, as claims are often denied because the injured worker waited too long to report the injury. Insurance companies are frequently unwilling to issue payment for accidents that weren’t reported right away.
That being said, if some time has passed since the injury and you haven’t yet made a report, please don’t assume that it’s too late! Go ahead and notify your employer anyway — right now. Time matters!
Step 2: File Necessary Paperwork
Employees have a responsibility to file a claim with the Commission soon after being hurt at work. Failure to do so in a timely manner can cause you to permanently lose your rights to compensation under the system.
The workers’ compensation claims process can be very confusing and frustrating. Also, please remember and understand that there are important time limits that govern your ability to file a workers’ compensation claim.
Step 3: Seek Medical Attention as Soon as Possible
If your workplace accident caused severe or life-threatening injuries, you may have already been rushed to an Emergency Room for urgent medical care. Otherwise, you’ll need to arrange for medical attention on your own.
Remember: you are not a doctor. Do not assume that you can diagnose the extent of your injuries on your own. Often, pain and complications may not occur until after an accident has happened; a doctor will be able to determine the true nature of your work place injuries and the treatment(s) necessary for your recovery.
Documented doctor’s visits are very important to your workers’ compensation claim as they are evidence of your injuries. By visiting a doctor and getting treatment for your work place injury, you are able to take the necessary steps to get yourself better while creating an accurate record of your work place injuries.
Step 4: Contact a Charleston Personal Injury Lawyer
Workplace injury victims often misunderstand their rights under the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation system. Claims are often unfairly reduced or denied because injured parties may not have realize what they are entitled to under the laws of South Carolina workers’ compensation system.
Working with a Charleston personal injury lawyer will ensure that you understand your case and your legal rights. Your lawyers can handle all of the complications for you, taking the headache and hassle out of your workers’ comp case. Your employer and their insurance company have lawyers working for them. Having an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer on your side can help you make sure that your rights are protected.
In summary, there are a lot of pieces to a workers’ compensation case. Documenting the injury, getting necessary medical treatment, filing paperwork and following procedures (often involving insurance companies and lawyers) can make for a difficult time; especially when you are injured and you don’t understand your rights. Please remember that very strict time limits are in place concerning work place injuries and if you wait too long, you can lose your right to the compensation that you may be entitled to.
Since 1989, the personal injury lawyers of Clekis Law Firm have been representing injured people and their families in Charleston and throughout the Low Country. At the Clekis Law Firm our clients always come first. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious personal injury due to the negligence of another, don’t be victimized twice. You need someone on your side to help you with your personal injury case and obtain the fair and reasonable compensation that you deserve. Call Clekis at 843.779.1160!
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