It is not uncommon for you as an employee to get an injury or suffer a health problem at work. Examples of these injuries and health problems can be physical or mental. If you think you have a workplace accident claim, here are some important facts you need to know:
1. Know How to Report a Claim
Your employer is required to provide a safe working environment for you and also hold an employer's liability insurance cover to cater to injuries suffered by employees. You need to report the injury to your employer as soon as possible because there is a deadline. Failure to notify your employer soon enough might make you not to become eligible for worker's compensation in some cases. In other cases, especially where symptoms might not show immediately or where death occurs, the deadline is not considered. It might even be extended.
2. What Should You Do After You Experience an Injury?
Depending on the nature of the injury, you might either be necessitated to visit a hospital first (when your injury needs urgent care) or notify your employer. When notifying your employer, give him or her a written notice or send an email and keep a copy. It is important to officialise things and for record-keeping purposes. Your doctor might give you a certificate of capacity indicating that you got injured at work and describing the nature of your injury.
The next step is asking for a worker's compensation claim form from your employer. This step can result in the following outcomes: they could either give you what you need or they don't.
Your employer could give you the form, which you fill out and attach the certificate of capacity. You return the filled form to your employer who should file it with their insurer. You are then expected to wait for the insurer to inform you that your claim has been accepted or rejected. If accepted, you receive the benefits of the worker's compensation claim. If rejected, hire a worker's compensation lawyer as soon as possible.
Conversely, your employer could fail to give you the form or gives you the form, but fails to lodge it. Don't panic or get infuriated; you can get the form elsewhere. You can either get it from your doctor or the WorkCover authority in your state. When you fill it out, find out who your employer's insurer is and lodge the form there yourself with a copy of the certificate of capacity attached. Wait for a response just like mentioned above.
You can learn more about the process by contacting workplace accident lawyers.