I’ve been injured on the job, what is the first step?
Answer: Report your Injury!!
This is a requirement under Missouri law.
The best way to prove that you have complied with the reporting requirement is by doing so in writing, and therefore the best practice is to report your injury to your employer in writing within thirty days. Failure to do this may result in your not being able to make a claim, and not getting workmans comp for your work injury.
Whether or not your employer believes your injury is work-related, Missouri Law says you must still report the injury to your employer quickly. Quick reporting of your injury to your immediate supervisor or employer is critical and should be done immediately following a work injury. You should report your injury no matter how minor the injury may seem. Often times, what seems like a small injury, can turn into a significant injury later.
To best protect yourself and your claim, you should:
- Report the injury to your supervisor as soon as possible after the injury or first appearance of symptoms, i.e., immediately!
- Tell your supervisor everything you can about the injury - what happened, where it happened, when and how it happened. Be as detailed as possible about what is called the "mechanism of the injury", i.e., how it happened and what you were doing at the time.
- Ask your supervisor to complete a written report of injury or accident report so that another written record exists.
- Ask to see a doctor, if necessary.
Important Tip: An employee who fails to notify his/her employer of a work injury within thirty days may jeopardize his or her ability to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
No Recovery, No Fee!
The Hein Law Firm takes workmans compensation injury cases on a contingency basis. This means you will only pay attorney's fees if we obtain compensation for you. For a free consultation with a Missouri Workmans Compensation Injury Accident Lawyer, call us at (314) 645-7900 or contact us online.