Workplace accidents and resulting injuries happen every day in the U.S. Unfortunately, many of these incidents go unreported to management. Without reporting an injury, a worker may be unable to successfully file a workers’ compensation claim and get reimbursed for medical expenses and lost wages. Here are three reasons why workers may hesitate to report injuries.
SELF-DIAGNOSING THEIR OWN INJURIES
Many workers attempt to self-diagnose their own injuries after an accident. They may think that they just have a head bump or back pain that will go away. However, it’s important to remember that not all injuries show symptoms immediately. Unless you receive an actual medical diagnosis, you don’t know the extent of your injuries. With this in mind, you should always report a workplace accident, no matter how minor you believe your injuries to be.
FEAR OF NEGATIVE REPERCUSSIONS AT WORK
Employees often fear retaliation at work if they report the injury. This may come in the form of less hours, a less desirable shift, or even termination. The good news is that workers in Kentucky are protected from retaliation in the form of termination due to filing a workers’ compensation claim. You can read more about the protections against termination after a work injury by visiting our recent blog here.
THINKING THE ACCIDENT WAS THEIR FAULT
Many injured workers fail to report accidents because they believe that they were at fault, therefore, are unable to pursue a workers’ compensation claim. Employers may also purposefully tell employees this in order to dissuade them from reporting an injury. The good news for workers is that workers’ compensation in Kentucky operates on a no-fault system, meaning that fault does not matter. If a worker was injured during the scope of their employment, they are entitled to file a claim.
PURSUING JUSTICE FOR INJURED WORKERS
If you have been injured at work, you should not hesitate to report the accident immediately to your supervisor or management. Doing so will create a paper trail of the incident and help ensure that your future workers’ compensation attorney is built on solid ground. Then, make sure to get in touch with an attorney at our firm to help ensure you receive maximum benefits.
Contact our Louisville workers’ compensation attorneys at 502-584-5455 at your earliest convenience to get started with a free case review.