Unfortunate accidents can happen in all Aussie industries. From high risk environments like farms and factories through to the seemingly innocuous health hazards found in sedentary workplaces, injuries at work do happen, and it’s important to know how to claim compensation if this happens with you!
The best workplace injury lawyers Canberra has can definitely help you with this process, and they will also provide the following advice to ensure you have everything you need to make your claim:
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You should immediately report your injury to the supervisor
You should always immediately report your injury to your supervisor or manager. Why? Because compensation claims can vary in nature but are generally the same, and you need to be able to show the extent of your injury before it has the chance to heal.
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Ensure that you correctly file the claim
You and your employee must file the correct paperwork before making a claim. This includes a detailed report about the incident, one in which both you and your employer have correctly and honestly stated the facts of the incident.
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Keep a written journal of the events
You should create a journal and file reference for you and your lawyer. When you compare your employer’s records with your personal records, you will be able to spot any discrepancies in their account of what happened.
It often happens that an employer will try and falsify information to try and avoid paying your compensation, so you will want to keep this record as precise as possible to counteract your employer if they attempt to do this. These documents should include everything from the hours you worked to how the incident played out and what kind of medical treatment you received.
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Receive medical attention as soon as possible
There are multiple reasons for this, the first being that if you don’t receive immediate treatment then the insurance company may not believe that the incident occurred as you said it did.
Second, having a doctor’s written testimony regarding the incident will go a long way to proving your story. Therefore, you should request complete records from the doctor’s office/emergency department where you were treated. This will not only help prove that the incident occurred as you said it did, but it will also provide a time-stamped account of what happened and when.
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Be concise when explaining your pain
Honestly is the be all and end all of making a workplace compensation claim. Insurance companies and even employers can be very savvy when it comes to catching out their staff, even going as far to hire private investigators to conduct surveillance on you to see if you are actually struggling in the way you say you are.
Therefore, you should tell the whole story exactly how it happened and to your doctor as well. By having the right, accurate documents available at your disposal, you should definitely be able to prove that you were the victim of an unfortunate accident and consequently receive your compensation.
Call the experts when necessary
These tips will go a very long way to helping you prove your claim and receive due compensation. If you require professional advice or would like to take the matter further, be sure to call Canberra’s most reputable workers compensation lawyers, as they will be more than happy to help you in your fight to receive what is rightfully yours – compensation for an injury that was no fault of your own!