Suffered A Serious Accident At Work? Start The Claim Process
Getting injured at work is something that should not be taken lightly. In many cases, a serious work-related injury can not only take several months or even years to recover from, but it can alter the course of a person’s life. When a person has injured a limb to the extent that it is no longer useable or has lost vision in an eye, they are going to be facing the consequences of that injury for the rest of their lives. Moreover, even in situations where a person has broken an arm or a leg, they are going to be out of employment for several weeks, meaning they can’t earn any money during that time. Serious injuries can also influence the future employability of a person, and considering that it might not have been their fault, it’s the employer who should be held responsible for the situation.
While there are several trade unions and organizations that look out for the wellbeing of people employed by private companies, sometimes the only way to get compensation is through court. Dealing with a serious injury is one thing, and then having to also fight a court case makes the situation that much more challenging. Here are a few tips that will help you through this process.
1. Evidence
When you go to court for an injury claim case, there are a number of hurdles in your path, the biggest of which is proving that you are truly eligible for compensation. The employer, their insurance company, and all their associates are going to try their hardest to prove their lack of culpability. The only way you can win over the judge and the jury is through solid evidence that counters all their false claims and proves that you are genuinely the victim of the situation. In fact, good evidence can even counter judgment bias that will leave the authorities no room but to take a decision in your favor. If possible, get pictures and videos of the scene of the accident, get the accounts of eyewitnesses and also bring in as much relevant medical documentation as you can to prove your point.
2. Specialist Help
Chances are that the person you are contesting the case with is going to try to get the best legal representation so as to not have to pay you compensation. While you might be able to go to trial and self-represent in any other case, that is not going to be a good choice in this scenario. Injury cases are notoriously complex and without a lawyer that specializes in these cases, it’s going to be very challenging to win. If, for instance, you live in Maryland or Washington D.C., and you’ve gotten caught up in a serious accident at work, then according to a seasoned Waldorf workers’ compensation lawyer, it’s important for you to find a specialized lawyer that understands the local laws thoroughly. There are a lot of variables that need to be kept in mind and several loopholes that the opposition is going to try and use. You need a seasoned legal expert who is familiar with these techniques and is also familiar with the legal framework. Having a legal professional to advocate your case will exponentially increase the chances of you receiving the compensation that you deserve.
3. Medical Attention
Going through an injury claim trial is definitely a lot of work and can be especially challenging when you are also trying to recover from serious medical injuries. It’s very important that you keep tabs on your health because certain problems such as concussions don’t show up right away. In fact, many problems such as injuries to soft tissues can take several weeks to show up. During this time, people make the mistake of living their lives as they normally would which places additional strain on the injuries and causes further damage. So be careful with your injuries and make sure you take the time to allow them to heal properly.
While there is nothing wrong with settlements out of court with the employer, the only hurdle is the amount. Most employers will try to convince you to accept an amount that is far less than what you actually deserve and what the court will compel them to pay. Secondly, this settlement won’t be documented and is not something you can use later on to prove to a new employer or any authority why you have the injuries you do. Moreover, while the whole process of a trial can be a long and difficult one, it provides you with much better compensation. You have to keep in mind that you aren’t only looking for compensation for the injury sustained or the cost of medical attention, but also for time wasted, the possibility of not being able to find new work anytime soon, and the disturbance it has caused in your life.
