Remaining safe and avoiding injuries while working is part of everyone’s job. Unfortunately, accidents happen. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses occurred with private industry employers in 2016, which shakes out to about 2.9 cases per 100 full time equivalent workers. While job-related injuries or accidents are common, many employees (and employers) do not know what to do when a mishap first occurs. Below are three important steps to take when you are injured at work in Colorado.
- Report the Injury.
An injured worker must first report the incident, if at all possible in writing, to their employer. While this seems somewhat obvious, many times these items go unreported – especially if the injury does not require medical attention immediately. The injury may worsen over time and if not reported, there is no documentation of it. If the accident is not reported, an employer can deny the worker medical treatment and benefits deserved for missed time from work. Reporting as soon as possible prevents many potential problems. - Seek Medical Treatment.
The next step in the process of filing an on the job injury claim is to seek medical treatment immediately. In most cases, the worker has the right to select a doctor from a designated list predetermined by an employer to treat them. From this point forward, the physician chosen is the “authorized treating physician” for the injury - File a Claim for Compensation.
Any injury that requires treatment and/or results in lost time from work, should be reported to the Division of Workers’ Compensation. This should happen as soon as possible. This will force the insurance company to either formally admit or deny your claim.
On the job injuries and the processes of properly reporting them are extremely complicated and require all parties involved to take many steps. At Kaplan Morell, LLC, we are more than happy and very capable of discussing your workers’ compensation claim(s). As one of the best workers’ comp law practices in Colorado, our expert team of attorneys and staff help injured workers day in and day out and can help you too if you are in need. Give us a call at 303-780-7329 or send us a message today!