3 Reasons to Report Every Workplace Injury

 Posted on July 19, 2022 in Workers' Compensation

Brushing off a "minor" injury in the workplace can come back to bite you. Some injuries or accidents may seem like no big deal in the moment, only to become a very big deal later on. If you report the injury right away and have the accident thoroughly documented, then you will have solid evidence that you got hurt at work should you need to pursue a Workers’ Compensation claim later on. However, if you fail to report what happened, it might be more difficult to establish that your injury is a workplace injury.

There are a number of reasons that people do not report workplace accidents, ranging from embarrassment to a belief that the injury will quickly heal on its own. Reporting the injury anyway can preserve your claim just in case.

Why You Should Report Every Injury, Every Time

"Minor" injuries can turn out to be a much bigger deal than you may have anticipated. Reasons that you should always report every workplace accident or injury include: 

• Small cut, big infection - Industrial tools, knives used to cut food, and other sharp objects lying around a work site can harbor all types of dangerous bacteria. Even if a laceration does not require stitching or does not bleed much, it can become badly infected and threaten an entire limb very quickly. Slapping on a bandage and getting back to work without saying anything could mean that you cannot later prove that the cut was work-related. 
• Adrenaline effect - You will likely get a natural adrenaline surge during and after an accident such as a fall. Adrenaline can act as a natural painkiller, which can prevent you from noticing the severity of an injury. You may initially believe that you are not hurt only to have pain set in after you get home. 
• Delayed injuries - Some injuries are immediately apparent, while others can take a day or more to become apparent. This is very common with neck and spinal cord injuries, and even some brain injuries. As time goes by, inflammation may increase. You may feel fine or just slightly sore the day of the accident, only to wake up the next day unable to turn your head. 

You have nothing to lose by reporting an accident at work, and you may have quite a bit to gain.

Contact a Santa Clara County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Cramer + Martinez is dedicated to helping injured workers recover the funds they need after getting hurt on the job. Our experienced Gilroy Workers’ Compensation attorneys can help you gather the documentation you need to bring a claim. Call 408-848-1113 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://weeklysafety.com/blog/reporting-injuries-quickly