The workplace can be a dangerous place, whether an active construction site or an administrative office. The risks inherent to different workspaces are many and varied, presenting a wide variety of potential injury risks to workers. According to the Health and Safety Executive, there were over 441,000 injuries at work in 2020-21 alone – but what should you do if you suffer one yourself?
Seek Medical Attention
Naturally, your first and most immediate concern should be to seek proper medical attention for your injury. Designated first aiders at your place of employment will be able to perform basic treatments and care, and may be able to advise you as to the severity of the injury you have suffered. In many cases, though, it can be much safer to call for an ambulance and wait for professional assistance.
Gather Evidence
If you are quite sure that you are well enough to stand and move immediately after your accident, or your injuries are hyper-local and obvious, you may find it beneficial to take note of the various witnesses to your injury. Doing this will enable you to ask them for their account of events at your earliest convenience, enabling you to build up a package of evidence for the injury and its cause. Before speaking with a lawyer, use the Instant Case Evaluator at TruLaw.com, at no cost or commitment.
If you were immediately taken for further medical attention, you should revisit the scene after your treatment to see what evidence remains. You should also enquire about any CCTV of the incident occurring, and attempt to corroborate your version of events with others.
Seek Legal Expertise
With a tranche of evidence and eyewitness testimony, you may be well-placed to approach your injury from a civil perspective. The reasons for your injury may stem from poor workplace processes, lax workplace health and safety or human error on the part of another, and you may have recourse for a claim against your employer.
This is especially important if your GP indicates there may be brain trauma as a result of your injury. These injuries can be extensive and debilitating, and brain injury claims are taken extremely seriously. Taking your evidence to a free consultation can help you review your options, and see if you are entitled to compensation for your ordeal.
Watch Your Long-Term Health
Injuries and complications can develop in the months following an accident or injury, with brain conditions a key concern when it comes to head injury. You should monitor your condition with regular visits to your GP, in order to ensure things do not develop and worsen.
Without a proper approach to recovery, you could find yourself injured further, and even unable to work. While this may have a knock-on effect on the value of your claim, it can also increase your mental distress.