Some professions have extreme danger built in such as firefighting, bomb defusing, and acrobatics.   These professions likely have tried and true workers’ compensation procedures for when people are injured at work.   For many people, getting injured on the job is something that may never happen or may only happen once in a lifetime.    Either way, there are some important facts to know when injured on the job.

Reporting Injuries

It is critical that injuries be reported to the employer and quickly.   In most states, the injury must be reported within a certain amount of time, such as the same day it happened or within a few days. Depending on the profession, all injuries should be reported.   For example, a simple cut on the finger may not seem like something that should be reported.   Most of the time, the cut will heal without any intervention.   However, if the cut becomes infected, it could cause health problems or problems using the hands normally. Consider filing a claim to protect your rights or contacting a workers compensation attorney oregon for more information.

Knowing Rights

The laws about workers’ compensation are not consistent from state to state.   It is no surprise that the rights of injured workers vary widely as do the legal procedures to protect those rights. Basic rights include the right to file a claim, to see a doctor, and to return to your job when released by the physician, if not able to return (permanently or temporarily).   They also include the right to receive disability compensation if a return to work is not possible, to appeal decisions, and to be represented by a lawyer.

Workplace injuries can be devastating to an employee in terms of health, finances, and more.   Understanding that reporting injuries to the employer quickly and within the time frames required is a critical first step.   Knowing the rights of injured employees can help make the healing journey a bit more smooth.