If you’ve been injured on the job, it’s time for you to take some action. We know you’re hurting, worried about being out of work, and trying to figure out your next step. It is not uncommon for someone injured on the job to try and handle it on their own. Most people, especially those in a tighter financial situation, will ignore the Injury and continue to work. But, we’re here to tell you what to do, and what mistakes are most common for those seeking workers compensation. That way, you can receive proper compensation, and have the time to heal.

Injured on the Job: Common Workplace Injury Mistakes

Deciding to hold off on reporting the injury

If you’ve been injured, it is important that you file a claim as soon as possible. Think about it, a workplace injury is costly for a business. They likely try to avoid paying out as much as possible. Especially if you work for a company with low-morale. So, by reporting as early as possible— preferably at the first sight of injury, you are more likely to not face backlash or debate over compensation.

Deciding to only disclose the main injury

So, you’ve broken your leg. So, you report that and receive treatment. But, you’ve also received some pretty severe back pain from the fall. Because the leg injury was the clear, and obvious thing to fix— you’ve disregarded the back issues. But, not claiming that injury until after the fact can be pretty counterproductive. For starters, not reaching out to receive treatment as soon as possible hinders the healing process. But, it also can come across as a bit fishy to those worker’s comp people. Even though your injury is very real, and very painful— you run the risk of coming across as filing a fraudulent claim. In short, claim early and at the same time.

Returning to work too early

Many people will make the mistake of returning to work before they’re back to where they were. Depending on the company you work for, they might require you to sign something saying that you are back to 100% and have no further injuries. The problem with signing something like this, especially if you return while you’re still nursing the injury, is that you’re likely not back to 100%. You could still use physical therapy, a routine check up, cast removal, and so on. If you sign something saying that their end is all set and you are no longer hurt— it could potentially cost you a lot of money and headache.

Taking on too much, too fast

This one goes hand in hand with returning too early. You’ve sustained quite an injury. Getting back to full functionality, and the entirety of your job description might take some time. Your employer will likely compensate for this, and help where they can. But, there is the chance that they might not. Communicating your position, what you can handle, and how you need to process to go on your end— is vital to ensuring a safe, and healthful return to the workplace.

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