Steps to Take After a Workplace Injury in Chandler

Work-related injuries can happen–no matter what industry you’re in. Whether you operate heavy machinery that malfunctioned or took a fall due to improper safety precautions in the office, you may be entitled to compensation. When you get injured at work, you should immediately report the injury to your supervisor, seek medical attention, document the injury and surrounding events, file a claim, and consider hiring a personal injury attorney in Chandler, Arizona.

At Gage Mathers, our professional team of legal experts can guide you through difficult times. We can help you answer questions such as, “Does health insurance cover injuries from car accidents?” or, “What do you do when your worker’s compensation isn’t paying you enough?” 

If you’re unhappy with your current personal injury lawyer, our team may be able to help. In this post, we’ll walk you through the steps you need to take when you get injured at work.

Report the Injury

As soon as you’re injured, you need to notify your team and supervisor. In some cases, this will be immediately apparent to your coworkers, such as injuries resulting from heavy machinery or in busy areas. Other times, you may break your ankle tripping over a cord or stumble down the stairs that aren’t up to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) standards.

Either way, let your team and manager or supervisor know that you need to seek immediate medical attention.

Seek Medical Attention 

Your workplace should offer to call emergency medical services (EMS) to get your injury checked out by a professional. This doesn’t always mean you’ll be put in an ambulance, but you should always ask to be seen by a medical responder. 

If you do need to leave work to be seen by a professional in a hospital setting, the EMS responder can safely transport you to a hospital with occupational health services department. These departments should all be covered by worker’s compensation insurance provided by your employer.

Document the Injury 

Once you are stabilized, make note of everything surrounding the injury. Save doctor’s notes and treatment recommendations, and make note of the time, location, and cause of the injury.

You will need this information to file your claim, and the longer you wait to write down this information, the fuzzier the details can be. If you don’t have your ducks in a row, it can make filing a claim more difficult.

File a Claim 

In Arizona, injured employees must file their claim within one year of the injury. Depending on your injury and situation, you may need to file a Worker’s Report of Injury (Form 0407) or the Worker’s and Physician’s Report of Injury (Form 0102).

If you do not file your claim within one year of the injury, you may forfeit your right to reimbursement. We recommend you file your claim as soon as possible after your injury. You can always mention new injuries to your doctor, such as if you have developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and navigate the claims process from there.

Remember, it’s better to file a claim right away rather than wait it out.

Know What You May Be Entitled To

So, what does filing a worker’s compensation claim really do? Aside from providing you with certain protections at work, filing a claim can help with the financial burden of the injury. For example, these claims can support any active medical benefits–such as copays, appointments, medications, and sometimes, travel reimbursement–until your healthcare provider determines your condition to be stable enough to safely return to work.

Additionally, if your healthcare provider recommends you stay away from certain tasks that could negatively impact your healing from the injury, worker’s compensation may pay you your lost wages after taxes. Depending on the injuries, this compensation may also cover long-term medical benefits and financial benefits for certain permanent disabilities as a result of the workplace injury.

Consider Hiring an Attorney

When you’re injured at work, your first priority should be your health and recovery. However, navigating worker’s compensation can be difficult, and your work may try to push you beyond your limits. If you have concerns about your workers’ compensation, call a specialist in workers’ compensation–if your injury was caused by a work mishap or co-worker, workers’ compensation may be your only option so you want to do it right the first time. 

However, if your injury was caused by someone else and not a coworker, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim. In that case, you should call Gage Mathers today for expert insight into personal injury claims arising from a workplace injury!

About the Author

Joseph D'Aguanno

Guided by the belief that being a highly skilled specialist in a narrow field is better than being ordinary in everything, Joseph “JD” D’Aguanno leads Arizona’s best personal injury law firm in Phoenix, AZ. Having extensive cross-training in pre-litigation negotiations and trial lawyer skills, with decades of experience, JD strives to provide clients with the most valuable legal services a personal injury lawyer can provide. Under his direction, Gage Mathers Law Group is an award-winning personal injury law firm providing aggressive representation to victims of a car accident, medical malpractice, dog bite, motorcycle accident, and other injurious events. Gage Mathers is trusted by thousands of lawyers and clients throughout the country because of their reputation for getting clients the maximum compensation they deserve.

Years of experience: Over 23 years
Bar number: 020421
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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