What First Steps Should I Take After an Industrial Accident?

If you have been injured in an industrial workplace, such as an oil or gas refinery, petrochemical plant, factory, mine, warehouse or construction site, you need to immediately report your accident to your employer and get medical assistance. If you fail to report the accident – orally or in writing – it could adversely impact your right to recover compensation. You also have the right to choose your own doctor at the outset, and you should exercise that right to make sure you obtain the best treatment possible.

There is something called statute of limitations which limits the amount of time you have to file your industrial accident. These laws vary from state to state, so it is important that you ask your employer or seek legal assistance. The industrial workplace is dangerous, and poses threats to industrial employees on a daily basis. Injuries that are commonly sustained in the industrial workplace are fractures, crush injuries, slip and fall injuries, and electrical shock injuries, just to name a few. The workplace is already dangerous by nature, but it is sometimes made worse by the negligence of an employer.

It is important to be cautious in how you report the accident. Industrial employers and their insurance companies will look for ways to avoid liability. For instance, if you admit fault, they will seize on that information to try to deny or significantly reduce the amount of your claim. If you are concerned or confused about what to do after an industrial injury, consult a doctor, report the incident to your employer, but it may also be necessary to seek legal assistance at this point if you are concerned about getting the compensation that you deserve.