No one goes to work expecting to be seriously injured, and yet each year workers in Hollywood and across South Florida end up going to the hospital at the end of their work day or may not even come home. Unfortunately, serious injuries are common across all industries. Even seemingly simple work with numbers or with paperwork can lead to severe and debilitating injury.
Since no one expects to be injured at work, many workers don’t know what to do when they are injured. This leads to common mistakes such as:
- Not taking the injury seriously. It can be easy to ignore a twinge in your wrist or to get hit in the head and brush it off if you feel fine. However, seemingly simple injuries can end up becoming debilitating. A traumatic head injury can be life threatening, even if symptoms don’t appear right away. A repetitive stress injury can lead to a tingling sensation and loss of mobility. As soon as you see symptoms, you should take them seriously. If you don’t, it may be harder to determine whether your injury was caused by work and this can make it harder for you to document the injury and to get the compensation you deserve.
- Not going to the doctor right away. As soon as you realise you may have a work-related injury, visit a healthcare professional. Unless you are doctor yourself, you can’t properly evaluate the severity of the situation and you may need treatment right away.
- Not documenting the injury. As soon as an injury happens or as soon as you notice and on-going injury or condition due to your work, take the time to document. Write down what symptoms you notice when you notice problems, and any details you remember. Take pictures of your work site or where an accident occurred. Keep a journal of the ways that your injury prevents you from living your life or doing your work correctly. The more information you have, the easier it is to allow an attorney to help you get the compensation you deserve.
- Not knowing what to do. Your employment manual should contain information about how to properly report an injury. Depending on your situation, you may be required to go to a specific physician or to follow certain protocols for reporting your injury correctly. Make sure you follow the rules.
- Not reporting the injury. Even if you are not sure you want to make a workers’ compensation claim in Hollywood or your community, report every injury at work. Not only is this important if the injury turns out to be more severe than you thought and you do need compensation, but reporting all injuries helps your employer and the relevant authorities understand the rate of injury in workplaces and allows them to make changes that keep everyone safe.
- Not maximising compensation. Workplace injuries are expensive and they can affect your income for longer than you realise. You may need to take time off of work for doctor’s appointments, your health insurance may not cover all of the healthcare services you need, and you may still be feeling the effects of a serious injury months or years after you have mostly healed. All of this can affect your productivity at work, which can in turn affect your income. You may even need extra help around the house because of your injury, and this can cost you extra. For all these reasons, it is important to consult with a workplace injury attorney in Hollywood or your community to ensure you get fair compensation for your injuries.
Do you need to speak to a workplace injury attorney in Hollywood, Miami, or any surrounding areas? If so, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation. Our legal team has decades of combined experience as well as a history of securing millions of dollars on behalf of thousands of plaintiffs like you.