A workplace injury has the potential to entirely disrupt your life, your career and your finances. Workers’ compensation is designed to step in and help cover an injured worker’s medical bills, provide some replacement wages and other needed benefits — but workers’ comp only actually works out when you take the right steps.
If you’re injured at work, do you know what to do next? Check out the quick guide below.
The 5 things you need to do following a workplace injury in North Carolina
Every state has rules attached to its workers’ comp system, and you have to follow those parameters to have a successful claim. In this state, that means:
- Report your injury to your employer. Even if you think it’s obvious that you were injured, let your employer know in writing as soon as possible. You have a maximum of 30 days to inform your employer if you hope to file a claim.
- Get medical treatment. While you can generally seek emergency care whenever and wherever you need to do so, you need to choose a doctor off the list provided by your employer as your primary care physician for workers’ comp.
- Keep all your documentation. Make a copy of every communication you have with your employer, their insurer and your medical provider. You never want to run the risk that your records will go missing at a critical point.
- File your claim. It can take a while to get through the red tape associated with a workers’ comp claim, so don’t delay filing your claim — even if you aren’t sure yet where your injuries may lead.
- Talk to an attorney. Finally, talk to an experienced workers’ comp attorney here in Cary. While workers’ comp is supposed to be a relatively easy road to follow for injured workers compared to litigation, it doesn’t always work out that way.
If you’ve already experienced problems with your workers’ compensation claim, it’s not too late to seek assistance. We encourage you to continue reviewing our website to learn more.
