If you experience a workplace injury that was not severe, it can be tempting to keep working. You might think that only severe injuries should be reported to your employer. You may have concerns about the impact that an injury could have on your work. You might simply believe that your injury is minor enough to ignore and go about your day.
However, there are many reasons to report an injury as soon as possible.
1. Reporting as soon as possible helps link your injury to the workplace
Your injuries may seem minor at first, but you may not experience all of the symptoms of your injury for some time after the initial accident. By reporting a seemingly minor injury as soon as possible, you can show that your injury was work-related if your symptoms worsen.
2. Reporting an injury could help prevent other workers from being injured
If your injury was the result of a hazard, reporting immediately gives your employer the information needed to correct that hazard before it injures one of your coworkers.
3. Reporting early helps you avoid missed deadlines
When you experience a workplace injury, you may rely on workers’ compensation benefits to help you pay your medical bills and support your family while you are away from work to heal. However, workers’ compensation requires you to meet specific deadlines, including reporting your injury to your employer within 14 days of the injury. Failure to report an injury within that period of time could lead to a denied claim in many circumstances.
If you have been injured in the workplace, reporting your injury to your employer may be only the first step in a longer journey. Consider speaking to an attorney about the workers’ compensation process and the steps you can take to get the support you need to heal.