Should I notify my employer about an injury sustained at the workplace?
When you suffer injuries or sustain an illness related to your place of work, there are obligations for both the employer and the employee. Ideally, you should notify your employer about your injury immediately. Read on for more insight.
Why employees decide not to inform their employer
Of course, the reasons are many but the major ones include:
- The employee not wanting to sit at home and miss work
- The employee assumes the injury is not serious and therefore, does not warrant notifying their employer
- Fear of being sacked
The rights of an injured employee
Upon sustaining an on the job injury, you have the right to inform your employer immediately. Secondly, you may also be eligible for workers' compensation benefits by doing so. Failure to notify your employer may compromise on your workers' compensation benefits. Note that for your claim to be successful, you need to have notified your employer about your workplace injury within a specific window period based on your state regulations. However, not all employers may cooperate with you when you notify them about your workplace injury or illness. Some employers may threaten you with a salary deduction or even a sack in order to dissuade you against filing a claim.
Workers' compensation attorney
When your employer reacts negatively to your resolution to file a workers' compensation claim and issues threats about terminating your employment contract, you should immediately consult with a workers' compensation lawyer.
This is the ideal way to learn how the process is expected to pan out, and it is a sure way of getting correct answers to your queries about filing your claim. With a lot on the line, a workers' compensation claim possibly will be the best way for you to concentrate on recovery.
Upon talking to a workers' compensation attorney about your workplace injury, they will first advise you to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Even if you suspect the injury might not be serious, it's always better to get expert opinion from the doctor. Bear in mind, a doctor's report about your injury diagnosis is a crucial piece of evidence in your workers' compensation claim. Moreover, there's always a time limit for filing an injury claim so you don't want to wait for too long or else your claim may be denied.
Whether you suspect your employer may act negatively or cooperate with you, you should always notify them whenever you suffer an injury at the workplace. Moreover, engaging a workers' compensation lawyer is highly recommended to help you through with the submission process of your workers' compensation claim.