A work-related injury may leave you in physical pain and unable to work. You may qualify for workers’ compensation from your Ohio employer. However, workers’ compensation isn’t paid after every injury. Instead, you need to take specific steps to protect your fair workers’ compensation benefits.
You can begin protecting your rights immediately after your work accident by taking the steps described below.
Report the Incident to Your Employer
Ohio law generally provides you with a year or more to report your injury. However, many employers provide you with a significantly shorter amount of time to report your injury. Therefore, it’s essential to report your incident as soon as possible for two reasons. First, your report provides documentation of your injury and essential evidence if you decide to file a workers’ compensation claim. Second, your report allows your employer to fix a potentially dangerous situation before anyone else gets hurt.
You, or someone acting on your behalf, can report your injury by completing the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation First Report of Injury (FROI) form.
Get Medical Treatment
Immediately after your accident, you may see any medical professional. If you need emergency medical attention, then you may go to a hospital, urgent care center, or your general practitioner. It’s essential to tell the medical provider how you got hurt, where you got hurt, and all of your medical symptoms.
After your initial visit, you will need to see a medical provider certified by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
Both immediate and ongoing medical care may help you manage your pain, prevent your injuries from worsening, and provide valuable evidence for a workers’ compensation claim.
Keep Records Related to Your Accident and Injury
Useful evidence may include, but is not limited to:
- Photos from the accident scene. Before you leave work to get medical attention, you may be able to take some photos of the accident scene, or you may have a coworker do it for you. It’s essential to take these pictures as soon as possible after the accident so that they document the conditions at the time of your injury.
- Witness statements. You may not have been working alone when you were hurt. Make a note of anyone who saw the accident (or the dangerous condition that led to the accident) and write down or record their name and contact information.
- Your medical treatment. The medical treatment you receive on the day of the accident and in the weeks and months ahead will provide essential evidence connecting your injuries to a work-related incident rather than another cause.
- Other records related to your accident or injury. Other records, such as your employer’s compliance with government safety standards, may also be relevant to your Ohio workers’ compensation claim.
All of this information may be useful in presenting a strong argument for your workers’ compensation benefits.
Talk to an Ohio Workers’ Compensation Attorney
An experienced workers’ compensation lawyer will make sure that you:
- Understand your rights and workers’ compensation coverage. Before you got hurt, your employer chose to be self-insured or part of the state-fund for workers’ compensation. You will need to follow specific procedures based on your employer’s coverage so that you can protect your right to workers’ compensation benefits.
- File a workers’ compensation claim before the deadline expires. You need to file your workers’ compensation claim before the deadline to do so expires. Otherwise, you may not be able to receive benefits.
- Fight for the benefits you deserve. Recovering workers’ compensation can be a frustrating process. Workers’ compensation insurers often want to pay out as little as possible in benefits. You deserve to have an attorney investigate your claim, present strong evidence, and fight for your rights.
You have a lot at stake, and we encourage you to contact Justice Law Firm today to learn more about how we can help you through this difficult time. We welcome your call at 614-543-1320, or we invite you to complete our online contact form at any time.