What should I do if I am injured at work?

Suffering an injury at work can be distressful and a confusing time. It can be difficult sometimes to know what to do. The following are a series of steps that you should follow after suffering a work injury.

The first step you should undertake and the most important, is that you should focus on your injury.  Immediately following your accident you should be treated by your workplace’s first aider.  Consider then whether you need to go to hospital.  If you go to hospital, ensure that a work colleague attends hospital with you.  This will make it harder for your employer to deny the accident happened and will alert your colleagues to the risk of a similar accident.

It is vitally important to report your injury to your employer.  Follow your employer’s accident reporting procedures when doing so.  The accident should be recorded in the accident book.  For whatever reason your employer refuses to record the accident, ensure there is a record of you reporting the accident by emailing your employer.

You should take photo and video footage of both your injuries and the accident location.  Be as detailed as you can.

Gather together witness statements.  Did any of your colleagues witness what happened and can give evidence?

Keep an up to date diary list of all of your symptoms.  This can be especially important for claims that take several years to resolve.

Keep a record of all expenses and losses incurred due to the accident.  This will enable you to add these to any claim you may bring.

Finally, speak to an experienced accident at work & personal injuries solicitor such as Shane McCann at PA Duffy & Co Solicitors.

For further enquiries regarding injuries sustained at work please make an enquiry or call our office and we will be sure to get back to you.