If you ever injure yourself in the workplace, its good practice to report it to a superior as soon after the accident as possible; permitting you don’t need urgent medical attention or anything. No matter how big or small the injury is, you would be wise to notify someone and get it properly recorded to make sure there is a solid record of exactly what happened.
This is especially useful for making a claim for compensation. So if you are considering making one and haven’t yet reported the injury, I’d speak to your employer as soon as you can!
So, here’s a little advice on reporting the accident and what happens next:
Accident Book
All employers have a legal responsibility to have an accident book to record any accidents, whether an injury is sustained or not, and sometimes to record near misses / dangerous occurrences as best practice as well. If an accident report form is ever completed for an accident or occurrence you are involved in, you are entitled to request a copy of the signed report form that is completed. There is no reason why your employers should ever refuse to provide you with a copy.
Importantly, if you are asked to sign anything, make sure you are completely satisfied that the report form is the accurate version of events, and make sure you’re not signing anything you do not agree to. There is no rush to sign it, so if you want to take a copy to read it over and think about it before signing, you should not be denied of this request either.
Make sure you make a note of anyone involved in the process of completing the accident report form as well – i.e. the names of managers or supervisors that the matter was reported to, or whom were present at the time of the accident or a report being made.
Witnesses
It is important to make a note of the names of any colleagues that saw what happened to you. It’s likely your employer will want to get their version of events down on record too. They should simply advise of what happened in their own words for the purposes of recording. In many ways, their evidence could be very useful later on down the line of a claim as well.
After the Accident – Other Evidence
It’s a good idea to get checked out by a medical professional so there is also a note of the incident in your medical records. Make sure you let the attendant you see know exactly what happened and how the injuries were caused. Again, this could be vital later on down the line for a claim.
If you can take photographs of any defect, or hazard, or accident area that can be used as evidence of the accident, that too can be vitally important for investigating a claim.
Why Do All This?
Well, if the accident was not your fault, you may be covered by your employers insurers to make a claim for compensation. The insurers will need to investigate the case just as much as your own solicitor will as well, so it’s good to have a wealth of accurate documentation and evidence at your disposal to make sure there are no discrepancies, issues, or problems that could crop up during investigations.
One of the first places insurers look to are the records that your employer has made about the accident- that is why the accident report form / accident book entry is vitally important. It’s also why you must always report an incident. Failing to report an incident could be not only detrimental to a claim and the insurers investigations, but also could have a negative impact on your job. I know its firm policy here at The Injury Lawyers to report accidents and dangerous occurrences as soon as they happen!
Making a Claim or Work Accident Compensation
If you have been injured at work through no fault of your own, your employers insurance is there to make a claim from. The great thing about the insurance is that it also covers your legal fees for claiming as well, so as long as you get a Genuine No Win, No Fee agreement with a good lawyer, you should receive the full 100% of your compensation payout.
As the insurance is there to be claimed from, it’s totally safe to recover your compensation from it. We find most employers are quite happy for you to make a claim, as the insurance is there to cover you, and you have been injured in the line of duty. But, just for your peace of mind, you cannot be dismissed, punished, or treated any differently for making a claim as its illegal to do so. Your claim is a confidential matter that is usually deal with directly by your lawyers and your employers insurers.
For more information on what you should do after an accident at work, or more information about making a claim for compensation, or to start a claim for compensation today, give our free claims helpline a call on 0800 634 75 75 for a free and informal chat about your options.
Our advice is free – you might as well take it!
