4 Steps To Take After A Workplace Accident

Suffering an injury or illness because of your job can be physically and emotionally challenging. At Gesmer & Reynolds, P.C., our experienced lawyers are here to help alleviate some of that stress and make sure you receive the workers’ compensation you need.

Here are four steps we recommend you take as soon as you are aware that you have become injured or ill because of something that happened at work.

1. Get medical attention right away. Tell your doctor exactly what happened that caused the injury. We can’t stress enough how important it is to let your doctor know that your injury or illness is related to work.

2. Report your injury or illness to your supervisor or employer as soon as possible..

For most types of job-related injuries, you have up to 45 days to report what happened to your employer. If you wait longer, you risk losing benefits you are otherwise entitled to. Not all work-related injuries and illnesses may be apparent right away, so you should report them as soon as you are aware of them.

3. Begin the workers’ compensation claim process..

Your employer should provide you information to get started on the workers’ compensation claims process. Regardless, you may want to consult a lawyer at this point to make sure you are providing all of the information necessary to help your claim succeed.

4. Keep good records. 

Keep all records of your medical care, including maintaining copies of all doctor’s notes that address your ability to return to work at each of your doctor visits. It is also a good idea to take notes about how your injury affects your daily life and ability to do your job.

Get Additional Guidance At A Free Consultation

These are some general guidelines, but each situation is different. To get guidance tailored to your specific situation, please schedule a free consultation with one of our highly experienced workers’ compensation attorneys. Call Gesmer & Reynolds, P.C., in Rockford at 815-216-9471 or contact us online. We represent injured workers throughout northern Illinois.