Getting injured at your workplace can be an unpleasant experience, especially when your employer is at fault. You may be angry at your employer’s negligence and want to take action against them in order to recover compensation. However, getting compensation for your injuries can make things easier.
Workers’ comp can provide relief from injuries by covering your damages. It also releases your employer from liability and lawsuits. However, the process is not any simpler than lawsuits. This is why people tend to make a lot of mistakes. Hiring an Atlanta construction accident attorney can protect you from costly errors.
What not to do when you get injured at your workplace
- Not reporting your accident to your employer.
One of the most common errors injured workers make is hiding the accident and their injuries from their employers. They also have a fear of retaliation, such as getting fired for being involved in an accident. However, you must never hide such things.
The longer you hide it, the higher your chances of losing compensation are. Moreover, there are certain deadlines for reporting injuries and filing claims. If you do not meet them, you won’t be able to recover damages even if you have solid evidence.
- Denying activities you perform outside of work.
Sometimes injured workers are found denying the activities they perform outside of work, fearing that their claim may get rejected. It may be another part-time job or something you do at your house. They are often worried that their claim will be rejected based on these activities.
However, it is never a good idea to lie. It is better to tell them the truth and take your case to trial than hide the facts. This is because the insurance company eventually finds out the truth. Once they realize you have been hiding the truth, things can get difficult for you.
- Hiding injuries from previous accidents.
This is a common scenario in all kinds of personal injury cases. Injured workers are afraid of talking about their prior injuries caused due to past accidents. They fear that the insurance company will devalue or reject their claim by arguing that the injuries existed before the workplace accident took place. While this may be true, it is still no reason to lie.
A good workers’ comp attorney will always advise you to stick to the facts. Then they will work on gathering the evidence to prove those facts instead of lying. Just because you already had injuries does not mean the accident cannot aggravate them or add more. With the help of a medical expert witness, you can prove your claim.