The workplace is often seen as a place where collaboration and hard work lead to success. Everyone will put their best foot forward to reach company goals alongside their colleagues. Moreover, it can be an environment that stimulates creativity and allows each person to thrive.
Some aspects within the workplace could entice injury, however. In many cases, slipping and falling are common and can cause more harm than intended. Should this happen to you, unintentionally or otherwise, there are various actions to take?
Use these guidelines to assist you if it does occur.
1. Get a Lawyer
A slip and fall in your workplace is nothing to play around with. There are so many ways in which a simple fall like this can affect your long-term quality of life. Should this occur to you, and your employer is giving you trouble, it is best to speak to a lawyer. A slip and fall lawyer, therefore, will be the best person to discuss this with.
These types of legal professionals are at the top of their class when it comes to cases such as workplace injuries. However, always look around for a lawyer that will speak to your needs. Do some research, and have a few consultations with them before deciding on one. Then, always be upfront and honest, and you will win a workplace lawsuit in no time!
2. Gather Your Senses
Slipping and falling is no joke, no matter how minor or major the impact is. There could be a bit of a bruise sustained at best or something much more terrible happening at worst. Either way, in the immediate aftermath of the fall, you should try your best to take stock of the fall. Gather your bearings to bring yourself back up to speed.
In most cases, a slip and fall at the workplace will be noticed by those around you. Ensure you call for help from someone nearby if you feel you sustained serious damage. Then, make sure to rest accordingly for a few minutes so that you are good to go afterwards. It is only at this point that you can determine what the best course of action will be to take.
3. Medical Assistance
Regarding the fall above, there could have been a large enough impact that resulted from it. As a result, you may want to seek out the right medical services immediately. While slips and falls could be harmful, there is nothing worse than having your body fail on you because of it.
Serious falls will take you to the emergency office to get the applicable treatment. Make sure someone nearby calls 911 so you can get these treatments as fast as possible. Once they arrive, ensure you tell the medics what transpired, so they know how to help you in the short term.
4. Inform the Supervisor
There will be actions to take for all other circumstances regarding a slip and fall at the workplace. First and foremost, you want to let your supervisor know what transpired. They would have to be informed if the damage was minor but major enough to keep you from working. The last thing anyone wants is to keep pushing themselves while hurt.
Your supervisor will then use their judgment to determine how to proceed. They should not allow you to work if you are not in good shape. Do not push yourself either if you are hurt! This can end up causing more damage to yourself versus simply calling it a day at work.
5. Documentation
There could be some unwarranted instances in which an employer requires you to keep working. Unfortunately, you must ensure that you keep good, consistent notes about what transpired. Legally speaking, you may have the grounds to file a case on the grounds of working while injured.
Maintaining consistent documentation is pivotal as a result. Make notes about where the slip happened, when, and what damage was incurred. Try your best to make these notes as detailed as possible so that it helps you out in a potential case. The more information your legal representation provides, the better off you will be!
6. Workers’ Compensation
You could be entitled to workers’ compensation if you seek monetary damages from the event. Generally speaking, you can claim benefits depending on the extent of the fall’s damage. Just be sure you qualify based on criteria such as losing out on wages that were missed due to the injury.
