Keep the following in mind when you have a work related injury.
Step 1: Report your injury.
When you know you have a work-related injury, report the injury to your employer. And always ask to fill out an incident report. If your employer does not provide you with one, you can get a first report of injury form from the DOLI website (PDF).
While you do not have to fill out a first report of injury (FROI) or incident report, you do have to put your employer on notice of your injury.
In cases of repetitive injuries, you must report the injury as soon as you should reasonably recognize the nature and seriousness of the injury. Sometimes, you may not recognize this until sometime after the injury.
But you do have to give your employer notice so that they have an opportunity to furnish immediate medical attention in the hope of minimizing the seriousness of the injury.
Step 2: Get treatment.
Step 3: Hire a lawyer.
A qualified and experienced lawyer can fight for your entitlement to benefits. Even if an employer and insurer are paying your benefits, there may be additional benefits you may be entitled to.
Moreover, the employer and insurer may not be looking out for your best interests but instead trying to figure out whether they can limit their exposure. Consequently, you may need a lawyer who is knowledgeable in workers’ compensation and will be able to assist in making sure you receive proper and fair representation.
