Should You Report an Injury You Receive at Work?

Even in the safest workplaces, injuries and deaths are possible. There are protocols in place, both in your place of employment and through regulatory agencies, to encourage people to report injuries and accidents. But is it always the right move to report these injuries?

The short answer is yes, but the next steps are a bit more complicated.

The High-Level Answer

After receiving any injury at work, it’s important to file an official report with your employer. This report will usually contain basic information related to the accident, including who was injured, how they were injured, the events leading up to the injury, and other details. Your employer will also likely be required to officially report the accident to OSHA, to their insurance carrier, and possibly to other regulatory bodies.

After the injury, you may require immediate medical attention. If that’s the case, medical attention needs to be the priority; everything else can be sorted out later. If your employer has workers’ comp insurance, which it likely does, all expenses related to your injury will likely be covered by it. However, in some situations, it makes sense to negotiate for a higher settlement or file a personal injury lawsuit.

Because the dynamics are so confusing and somewhat complicated, it’s important to talk to a personal injury attorney before moving forward beyond an injury report.

Why Injury Reports Are Important

Why is it so important to officially report workplace injuries and accidents?

There are several reasons:

Immediate official records. First, it’s a good idea to report the injury as soon as possible to preserve the details of the injury. This is going to serve as an official record of events, which will be important for determining compensation in the future. If you wait too long to file an official report, you and other witnesses may become less reliable in volunteering the details – and some pieces of evidence may be lost. Additionally, if there is no official report on the accident, it becomes much harder to prove in a court of law what happened.
Hazard/issue recognition. Official reports are also vital because they force employers to recognize and address potential hazards and other workplace issues. For example, if you were injured because a piece of equipment malfunctioned, an official report identifies the piece of malfunctioning equipment in question so it can be repaired, temporarily shut down, or re-evaluated in terms of risk. This can help prevent further injuries and accidents in the future.
Employer knowledge and potential action. Employers need to know about accidents that happen on the premises. This way, they can take appropriate actions when required, such as providing you with workers’ compensation documentation.
Reporting guidelines. OSHA and other regulatory bodies and institutions have strict requirements for how injuries should be reported. Your employer is responsible for submitting these reports, and they sometimes need your cooperation in this process.

Immediate Steps to Take

After any workplace accident or injury, these are the most important steps to take:

Get medical attention. The highest priority needs to be getting medical attention, for you and anyone else who was injured in the accident. Depending on the nature of the accident, you may or may not need to go to the hospital; in some cases, first aid can be rendered onsite. Don’t be afraid to err on the side of caution; sometimes, it’s worth getting medical attention even if the injury seems minor.
Prevent further injuries. The next highest goal is to prevent any further injuries. If this injury or accident occurred due to preventable circumstances or problems in the environment, address them now. This could include shutting down a piece of equipment, visibly marking a hazard, or even reminding fellow employees about proper safety protocols.
Report to a supervisor. Once medical attention is rendered and further injuries are prevented to the best of your ability, the next priority is reporting the accident to your immediate supervisor. They’ll be able to help you figure out the next steps.
Check the report and gather evidence. When the report is being written, be sure to validate the details. If you dispute any of the facts, do so vocally and privately record your own version of the facts. In fact, you may also want to gather additional evidence on your own, such as witness statements or photos of the scene of the accident.
Talk to an attorney. Finally, make sure you talk to a workers’ compensation attorney. There are probably many qualified injury lawyers in your area actively seeking new clients like you. They can help you figure out the best strategy for moving forward.

Your Options

In some cases, you’ll want to accept a workers’ compensation payout. In others, you may consider more complex legal action. No matter what, it’s important to file an official report as soon as possible so you can finalize the initial details of the accident.