The world of construction is a dynamic and ever-changing place that comes with its own set of risks. It is well known that the construction industry has a much higher rate of injuries and fatalities than other industries out there, so it makes sense for anyone in this line of work to not just ensure that they are protecting themselves as much as possible from harm’s way, but also to know the steps to take to protect their legal rights when an injury does happen. Here’s how.
Seek Medical Attention
First and foremost, this is a must. There are some injuries that you can deal with on your own, but if there’s blood involved, a loss of consciousness, or the pain is unbearable, you must seek medical attention. Even if it appears to be nothing, you can’t expect to assess how bad your injury is from just looking at it without actually knowing its severity. A good doctor or nurse will be able to assess the injury and treat it accordingly.
Report The Injury As Soon As Possible
You must report your injury to your immediate supervisor as soon as possible, even if you feel fine, and it doesn’t seem like a big deal. This is not meant to be taken likely because if an investigation into the incident occurs, then whoever was responsible for your safety will have a chance to cover up their mistake or negligence, which will seriously affect your eligibility to receive compensation.
Gather Accurate Documentation
The more evidence you can provide, the better. No insurance company or court of law is going to just take your word for it. Any legal representative of a construction worker who was seriously injured or killed on the job will tell you that without concrete evidence, you have no case. Here’s the type of evidence to gather and how:
Get Witness Accounts
Witnesses are important to have on your side. Anyone who saw what happened, where the accident occurred at the time of its occurrence should be documented. If possible, ask them to write down exactly what they saw and keep a copy for yourself. Take their contact information along with their job titles, so you can mention them in your claim.
Medical Records
This is where your medical records come in handy. You should ask the hospital or doctor that treated you for a copy of all relevant documents such as your diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plans along with any other relevant information that may help support your case.
Pictures or Videos
Pictures and videos are a great way to document your injury and the environment where it occurred. So you should take photos of your injuries and how it is affecting you. Also, if you feel that there was something at work that contributed to your injury, then take pictures of the scene when no one is around or videotape it for documentation purposes.
Hire A Lawyer
An experienced lawyer will help you get the compensation you deserve for your injury. They know how to negotiate with insurance companies, deal with medical professionals, and all sorts of other things that may come up during this process. When choosing a lawyer, hire a personal injury lawyer who specializes in construction accidents. Here are other things to look out for:
Experience Matters
People make many mistakes in this line of work, and you don’t want to end up with someone who is not familiar with the ins and outs of your field. Do thorough research about the lawyer’s past cases, ask them for references, and find out how much experience they have dealing with cases like yours.
Attitude Counts
You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your lawyer, so you should make sure that their personality meshes well with yours. If you feel comfortable around them, then chances are they are honest and upfront about all aspects of your case.
Communication Skills
Your lawyer should be able to communicate with you in an easy-to-understand language. If it feels like the lawyer has gone over your head several times, then they are not good at explaining things concisely, so you must look for another one. Also, you should be able to reach them when you need to know something.
Practice Patience
Don’t expect the process to go smoothly. You will be dealing with insurance companies who are paid to settle claims as fast as possible. This means that they won’t necessarily do everything they can to ensure you get what you deserve. Unfortunately, this means that you are going to encounter many obstacles throughout the process. So always remember that you should maintain your patience at all times.
Construction companies are normally safety conscious. But they cannot control all of the elements that they face on a daily basis – weather conditions, their clients’ property, etc. Given the many risks involved in this line of work, it is important that you are fully informed about how to protect your rights at work if an injury occurs. These are the five essential steps you should take to protect yourself in case of an injury at work. All it takes is a little preparation and patience. If you follow these simple steps, then you should be able to secure your interests in any upcoming construction accident claim.
