How Can You Prove Your Injury Is Work-Related?
The last thing you want to consider or worry about is getting injured on the job.
Not only does this add an extra layer of stress into your life, but now you have to worry about proving your injury. While you might think the company you work for is looking out for you, oftentimes they will turn a blind eye to this and fight to avoid having to compensate you for the time you need to recover. Therefore, it is absolutely important that you follow a series of steps to make sure you get your claim resolved.
Here is how you can prove that your injury was work-related:
Document Everything
When it comes down to a work injury, you do not want to be in a position where it becomes your word against the company’s word. The judge will have a hard time determining who is telling the truth and this will greatly lower your chances of getting the compensation you need during your recovery period. Therefore, it is vital that you document everything that happens at the time of your injury. Depending on the severity, if you are able to, take photos and videos of the area where your injury happened and what caused the injury to occur.
As the professionals from tewartlawoffices.net stressed out, oftentimes workplace injuries are a result of negligence by the company and if you can prove this via documentation and photos, you are guaranteed to win your court case and get the compensation you deserve. When it comes time for your case, present all of this information beforehand to your employer. When they see the massive amount of evidence you have compiled, they are much less likely to fight the case, therefore greatly reducing the amount of stress on you. Don’t find yourself stuck in a legal battle. By documenting everything that happens at the scene of the injury you are guaranteeing a greater chance of winning your case and proving that your injury was work-related.
Get Medical Documentation
No matter how minor the injury was if it occurred at work you need to go see a doctor. Doctors and health professionals have certain guidelines that they have to follow when you report a work injury, and this once again guarantees a paper trail that will be beneficial to you. Another reason why this is important is that some injuries have a tendency to get worse as time goes on. You might fall and land awkwardly on your foot at work and be fine, only to find yourself unable to walk on it a week later.
When you go into report the injury to a doctor, the doctor will ask why it took you so long to come in, and the company can begin to claim it wasn’t them due to the large amount of time that passed. It is important to note that you do not need to worry about medical costs when dealing with a workplace injury. If you can prove that the injury was work-related, all of your medical expenses will be covered by your company. Therefore, it is important that you go to the doctor immediately after the injury to ensure you are not stuck paying the medical bill yourself.
Witness Reports
When people are testifying in a court, they have to tell the truth and it is a crime in itself to lie when giving testimony. If there are people who saw how your injury happened, have them speak up on your behalf. Doing this helps to avoid a legal battle of hearsay, as a judge is more likely to side with a group that has a large collection of witnesses. Coupling this with medical documentation and documentation about the incident itself can give you irrefutable evidence that your injury happened at work. Always try to find witnesses when you get injured and if they are uncomfortable about speaking up, they can sometimes use anonymous testimony. Having a large pool of witnesses available will greatly help your case in proving that your injury was work-related.
The last thing you want to worry about when recovering from an injury is fighting a legal battle. Therefore, ensure that you have all the proper documentation in order to help make your case that much easier. Along with this, look into hiring an attorney to fight for you, allowing you to spend all of that time recovering. Remember that your company is not always looking out for your own best interests and be prepared for a messy legal battle. Hopefully, your case goes smoothly and you will find yourself getting the compensation you deserve.