Steps to Take After an Injury at Work

Getting injured at work can be a stressful and overwhelming experience. Not only do you have to deal with the physical pain of the injury, but there are also financial concerns that come along with it. This is why it’s important to know what steps to take after an injury at work so that you can get back on your feet as soon as possible.

In today’s post, we will go over some of the key things you should do if you find yourself in this situation, including filing for workers’ compensation and seeking medical attention. We’ll also discuss how hiring a lawyer who specializes in workplace injuries could help protect your rights and ensure that you receive fair compensation for your losses. By following these steps, you can make sure that your recovery is both physically and financially secure.

Call 317-881-2700 for Help With Filing a Workplace Injury Claim in Indianapolis Indiana
Call 317-881-2700 for Help With Filing a Workplace Injury Claim in Indianapolis Indiana

Workplace Injury Guide

No one ever expects to get injured at work, but unfortunately it does happen. Whether you’ve had a minor accident or a more serious injury, knowing what steps to take after an injury at work can help make the process easier and ensure that your rights are protected. Here’s what you need to do:

Notify Your Supervisor

The first thing you should do if you’ve been injured at work is notify your supervisor immediately and fill out an incident report or make sure one gets filled out. This document will serve as evidence of your injury in case you need to file for workers’ compensation or other benefits later on. It’s important that all details about the incident be included in this report so make sure to provide as much information as possible.

Get Medical Treatment ASAP

Next, seek medical attention right away even if you don’t think the injuries are severe as some injuries may not be readily apparent until hours later or may get worse with time. Make sure to tell the doctor and any other medical provider that this was a workplace-related injury so they can properly assess any long-term effects and provide appropriate treatment options for recovery. 

Talk to a Work Injury Lawyer

After seeking medical care, contact an attorney who specializes in workplace injuries so they can advise on how best to move forward with filing for workers’ compensation benefits from your employer. By working with an experienced work injury lawyer, you’ll get the best guidance for pushing through with your case and recovering the maximum benefits owed to you as an injured worker.

Follow All Doctor’s Orders

Finally, once your injury has been reported and documented, follow through with the treatment plan recommended by your doctor. This should include any physical therapy or medications needed for recovery. Make sure to stay in contact with your supervisor and human resources department, along with the insurance adjuster for the worker compensation insurance carrier, so that they are aware of any updates on your condition and how it continues to impact your ability to come back to work.

Get Help With a Workers’ Compensation Claim Today

Though an injury at work can be daunting, following these steps can help you get the support you need to recover quickly and safely. Take care of yourself and remember that you have rights!  Don’t hesitate to contact an experienced workers’ compensation attorney who specializes in workplace injuries. They will be able to provide more specific advice about how to handle your individual situation. In the meantime, take the necessary steps after an injury at work and stay positive—you’ll be back on your feet in no time!

Are you an injured worker looking for help with a workers’ comp claim in Indiana? The earlier you act, the higher your chances of success will be – so don’t delay! Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to schedule a free consultation with a licensed workplace injury lawyer in Indianapolis. We represent victims all throughout the state of Indiana.

Related Posts:

Which Injuries Qualify For Workers’ Compensation in Indiana?
General Workers’ Compensation Benefits and How to Claim Them
Can I Quit My Job if I Am on Workers’ Compensation?

How to Try to Prevent a Heavy Lifting Injury at Work

When it comes to your job, there is always something you’ll need to pick up and move around. But some jobs require particularly heavy lifting, or repetitive lifting, which can result in injuries. Those who work in childcare, manufacturing, warehouses, nursing and construction are examples of some careers that see a lot of lifting. It is important to try to condition yourself for such duties, otherwise you can potentially suffer a serious injury caused by lifting heavy things and by repetitive lifting.

Continue reading to learn some tips on how to prevent a heavy lifting accident at work, whether you are subjected to such duties regularly or not.

Indiana Workers' Compensation Attorneys
Indiana Workers’ Compensation Attorneys 317-881-2700

Trying to Prevent Serious Lifting Injuries

There are several ways you can be proactive when it comes to preventing any type of lifting injury, regardless of weight or size. There are stretching exercises to help strengthen core muscles, which can help prevent injuries of all kinds, such as Pilates and Yoga. There are also certain techniques that help reduce lower back strain when lifting something heavy, such as keeping your spine straight while lifting with the knees and not the back.

There is also a wide selection of braces and muscle support gear available at local department stores. No matter what type of job duties required of an employee, it is recommended to not lift more than 50 pounds of weight manually, unless aided by another person or lifting equipment. Examples of common lifting equipment include forklifts, ramps, wheelbarrows, pallet jackets, hand trucks, and lift gates. 

Heavy Lifting at Work

In vocations where heavy lifting is a regular duty, employers have a duty of care to properly train all staff in safe lifting practices, as well as provide the proper lifting equipment and materials for safety purposes. The most common types of lifting injuries are muscle strains and soft-tissue tears, all of which can occur on a wide scope of severity. However, several other types of lifting injuries take place on a daily basis all around the country, including herniated discs, back injuries, spine injuries, neck injuries, shoulder injuries, hernias, pinched nerves, knee injuries, fractures, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Although your employer is required under law to prepare you in all the proper methods and techniques of lifting in your job, this does not always happen, or at least, adequately. In such cases, you will want to learn your rights to be compensated for your resulting damages, such as medical bills and lost wages from taking time off work. Start by talking to a licensed Indiana personal injury lawyer about making a workers’ compensation claim.  In Indiana, if you are injured at work while performing work related activities, you are entitled to worker compensation benefits regardless of whether or not your employer did anything wrong in causing the injury.

Indiana Workers’ Compensation Attorneys You Can Trust

Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to speak with a seasoned Indiana workplace injury lawyer about your best options for pursing legal action after being seriously injured or incapacitated at your place of employment, or while performing work-related duties. Our seasoned personal injury lawyers can obtain the full and fair compensation you deserve for your resulting damages and losses, including hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

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FAQS About Having to Go Back to Work After a Workplace Injury

Suffering a serious injury on the job is stressful enough. So, the process of transitioning back into the workplace should be a smooth and comfortable one. Unfortunately, many injured workers have difficulty returning to work, especially those who are forced to come back, or those who have been away for a long period of time. As an injured worker receiving workers’ compensation benefits, you too may be mandated to return to work. Hopefully, your employer has a respectful and reasonable return to work policy in place for such situations, or at least willing to improvise one as they go. Either way, it is important to get your facts straight to ensure your rights and your benefits are protected.

Continue reading to review some frequently asked questions about having to return to work after being injured in an on-the-job accident.

Indiana Personal Injury Attorneys 317-881-2700
Indiana Workplace Injury Attorneys 317-881-2700

Medical Improvement

During the workers’ compensation process, you are routinely seeing your doctor to monitor and record your recovery. At some point in time, your doctor will sign off on your work abilities, confirming that you have reached maximum medical improvement. This might happen sooner than you anticipate, leaving you full of doubts, along with an obligation to comply or risk losing your workers’ compensation benefits.

Here are some of the most common questions injured workers ask about returning to work after suffering a workplace injury:

How Long Will I Be Off Work After a Workplace Injury?

Some injured workers are okayed to return, but under certain restrictions, while others are ordered to wait to return to work until they make further progress. In this latter case, workers are generally not signed off to work again until they have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI), which means they have recovered as much as they are going to with medical care. Others are medically approved to return to work before they reach this point. When this happens, they are usually transitioned back into the workplace under certain limitations, such as a modified schedule or lighter duties.

Am I Forced to Return to Work After Being Okayed by a Doctor?

If you are signed off by the doctor to go back to work, you must go back to work, otherwise, you could lose your workers’ compensation benefits. Once you receive your return to work date, be sure to notify your employer as soon as you receive this notice. Also ensure that you carefully examine the documents to learn the exact parameters of your return. Both your workers’ compensation representative and your employer should have copies of your doctor’s orders, especially if it includes any restrictions.  You do have a right to have an independent medical examination performed if you disagree with the return to work decision made by the doctor chosen by the worker compensation carrier.

How Does a Doctor Decide if I Am Okay to Return to Work?

As mentioned, every routine visit to your doctor serves as a record in time, monitoring the progress of your recovery, and gauging your capacity to return to your normal work duties. As this process unfolds, your doctor will decide when you can go back to work, and at what scope. Your doctor will do this by performing an evaluation, and then using the data to assign a workers’ compensation disability rating if you have an on-going disability. You have a right to request for an Independent Medical Exam (IME) to gain a second opinion on your ability to come back to work.

How Do I Learn More About My Workers’ Compensation Rights in Indiana?

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to speak with an experienced Indianapolis personal injury attorney who specializes in Indiana workplace injury claims. Seasoned attorneys, Daniel Craven, Ralph Hoover, and Keith Blazek are equipped to recover the full and fair amount of compensation you deserve after being seriously injured at work. Recover for damages and losses, including medical expenses, hospital bills, lost wages, and more. We represent injured workers all throughout the State of Indiana, so get started with a free consultation, today.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700
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When is an Injured Employee Ineligible for Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Getting injured on the job is a serious situation. This is why companies are obligated to provide employees with specific reimbursements to cover all workplace injuries. This legal duty of care falls under workers’ compensation law, which entitles most injured employees to certain benefits. Although not as common, there are some cases in which an employee is disqualified from receiving workers’ compensation benefits.

Continue reading to learn more about workers’ compensation claims and benefits, including when an employee might be ineligible for such coverage.

Indiana Workers' Compensation Lawyers 317-881-2700
Indiana Workers’ Compensation Lawyers 317-881-2700

Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)

To understand workman compensation benefits, you need to know about OSHA regulations. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is a governmental agency in charge of enforcing health and safety regulations in workplaces within the United States of America. Their primary goal is to ensure that American work environments are safe for both employees and guests. In fact, all American workers, employers, manufacturers, and more, are legally obligated to adhere to all OSHA rules and regulations. If they fail to do so, they can face serious legal repercussions, including heavy fines, lawsuits, restitution, and more. The reason why penalties are so strict is due to the fact that ignoring such codes and regulations can result in serious or fatal accidents.

Common Benefits Granted Under Workers’ Compensation Laws

When an injured employee makes a workers’ compensation claim, they are filing to receive compensation for their damages and losses incurred as a result of their workplace accident. Such damages and losses include hospital bills, medical expenses, lost wages from missing work, and similar out-of-pocket costs. Injured employees might also be compensated for permanent partial or total disability and for any permanent injuries.

Economic damages are for tangible financial losses that can be defined by an actual dollar amount and redeemed through financial compensation are considered economic damages. Non-economic damages are not direct and tangible monetary losses, like medical bills. They are damages awarded for emotional or mental losses and hardships. See our blog, “What Benefits Am I Owed For My Workplace Injury Claim in Indiana?” for details about specific benefits that can be recovered through a workers’ comp lawsuit.

Workers’ Compensation Exclusion

There are also situations that would cause an injured employee to be excluded from worker’s compensation benefits. If an employee is injured at work under as a result of their own intentional conduct, an insurance company will likely deny their workers’ compensation claim. Cases that could render an injured employee ineligible for workers’ comp benefits include the following:

  • They were injured while committing a crime.
  • Their injuries were self-inflicted.
  • They were injured while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  • Their injuries occurred while partaking in a specifically restricted activity.

Where to Get Help With Your Workplace Injury Claim Questions

Always consult a licensed and experienced personal injury lawyer who specializes in workplace accidents for help understanding your rights to being compensated. Don’t let an insurance company tell you no when you need coverage for your resulting damages and losses. A skilled accident lawyer can help you recover the full and fair payout you deserve after being seriously injured on the clock.

Legal Advice For Workplace Injury Insurance Settlements in Indiana

Call the Law office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to discuss your Indiana workplace injury claim with a licensed personal injury attorney you can trust. We retain extensive experience with workers’ compensation claims, and represent clients throughout the State of Indiana. Not only does our law firm offer free initial consultations, we never collect lawyer fees unless we obtain a settlement for you.

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