Whether it’s an accident at your office premises or a workplace injury, personal injuries can occur at any time. Even if business owners take extra precautions and steps to ensure maximum safety, unexpected situations can arise and can lead to grave injuries. Any business owner who fails to maintain basic safety rules might end up paying a hefty amount as compensation owing to the casualty. A lot of factors can be the cause of the injury, such as cracked or uneven floors, pointed and unpolished furniture pieces, broken construction work, slippery floors, or dangling exposed cables that could cause electric shocks. This could range from minor to life threatening injuries.
Depending on the severity of the injuries, you could face a major physical, financial and psychological crisis. If you were initially uninformed about these dangerous risks leading to your injury, your company would be responsible to pay your injury claims. If they are unwilling to do so, you can file a personal injury compensation claim to pay your medical bills and cover your monthly expenses until you recover.
If you face any kind of injuries at your business premises, you first need to follow this step by step guide to ensure maximum safety and reduce your financial issues.
1. Report the Incident
Reporting the incident is the first thing you need to do to gain concrete evidence to ensure that the incident actually took place at the business premises. You should also get a copy of your filed reports in case of misplacement. While trying to receive your claim, you can then use this incident report as a proof if your company or business owner denies what happened. If you’re unable to prepare the report, ask your manager or business owner. They might not be able to release the report and show it to you due to certain obligations. In case you faced an attack on the premises, you might have to file a police report.
2. Gather Supporting Proof
Collect proof from the site to back up your incident report. Take pictures before the scene is cleared to show the actual level of damage that you faced. If you don’t have a digital camera, you can simply use your phone. Everyone uses a smartphone that has a good quality camera now, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Focus on areas and objects that caused the injury, such as wet floors, broken furniture, or improper construction. If possible, take photos of your injuries as well as show their severity.
While pictures are a strong proof to support your case, you can also get the contact details from witnesses that were present during the incident. Having the support of witnesses works as the ultimate strong piece of evidence, especially if the case isn’t working in your favor. You should collect the contact information of as many witnesses as you can and ask them to help you in case of claim issues. You can also ask them to give a testimony of what happened at the scene and request a written statement according to their perception.
3. Seek Medical Help
While writing and fetching your incident report is important, you should also focus on your injury. If it’s extremely serious, you should call an ambulance, dial 911, or ask your business owner to do so. Whether it’s a bleeding leg or a concussion, you need to be treated at the earliest to diminish any further health issues. If the problem doesn’t seem serious and no visible injuries can be noticed, you should still seek a medical evaluation to check for internal damage. The problem might be more serious than you think. Not checking for injuries right away gives every right to your company to oppose your personal injury claim. Make sure to keep a copy of your medical bills, drug prescriptions, and other relevant documents like blood tests and X-rays. These will help when you demand your claim from the insurance company.
4. Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Hiring a personal injury lawyer can accelerate the process of receiving your claim. All businesses are supposed to have a liability insurance that helps compensate for your bills and damages. It covers your medical bills and monthly expenses due to loss of income until your recovery. There might be times when your company refuses to pay your claim, suggesting oppositions and irrelevant description of the injury scenario. It can get difficult to win the case single-handedly without any support. Experienced personal injury lawyers at Johnson Law Firm believe that cases like these need legal advice, as business owners often have their own legal backup. Lawyers get in-depth information, collect evidence, and look for loopholes that you’ll miss without their help. You might also be contacted by the opposite legal team or the insurance company to sign a release. Do not sign it before seeking advice from your lawyer. They will look into it and recommend the following steps.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer is beneficial and won’t take a toll on your financial condition. It’s because a lot of lawyers don’t charge fees if you don’t win. This gives you enough confidence and motivation to win the case. Handling the case all alone will demand several unnecessary trips that could worsen your condition. Instead, hire a lawyer who will take care of all legal issues while you can solely focus on recovering from your injuries.
Factors to Be Considered for Your Claim Verdict
Business owners would be responsible for your accident only if they had failed to warn you about the risk, not because they haven’t eliminated it yet. Depending on that, the factors that a court considers before reaching a verdict include: the severity of the injury caused, whether or not the person in question was warned of the risk, the age of the person, and the cost of treatment.
You, as an employee or a visitor, have every right to demand the claim for the injury you sustained on the business owner’s premises. Following these steps can help you recover physically and financially. Hiring a lawyer would further help you receive a higher claim compared to a lower settlement that you could otherwise receive by fighting alone.
