Getting to Know Your Workers’ Compensation Rights

Even if you’re incredibly careful, workplace accidents can still happen. The US Department of Labor reports that more than 2.5 million Americans are injured on the job each year. 

If you develop an injury or illness while at work, know that there are practical steps you can take to preserve your rights to workers’ compensation. 

At Midwest Innovative Pain Management in Dyer, Indiana, our team has the knowledge and experience needed to help you recover quickly from an illness or injury and get you back to work as soon as possible. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the process of claiming workers’ compensation, we’re here to help. In this blog, we’re reviewing what you need to know about recovering from illness or injury under the protection of workers’ compensation. 

What are your workers’ compensation rights?

Under federal law, you are entitled to work in a safe and healthy environment. If you don’t feel safe in your work environment, you’re legally allowed to request an inspection of the work environment that put you at risk of injury or exposure to toxic chemicals. 

If you’re injured or develop an illness because of your work environment, your employer is required to cover medical expenses and provide cash benefits to repay a portion of wages lost due to recovery. 

What to do after a workplace injury 

Common workplace injuries include slips, falls, stress fractures, and repetitive use injuries. If you find yourself with a workplace injury, take these steps to ensure you receive medical benefits and wage compensation along with expert health care.

Get medical attention

The first thing to do after incurring a workplace injury is to administer first aid. If you can do it yourself, you may need to apply an ice pack, clean out a wound, or immobilize a limb. In the case of a severe injury, call 911 or get to your nearest emergency room immediately.  

Inform your employer

You need to tell your supervisor about the injury. Your employer needs to document your work environment, the severity of your injury, and the medical care you require so your employer’s insurance carrier can review the claim and provide coverage. 

Contact our medical team for an evaluation

After any hospital discharge, contact our team.  We have the expertise needed to help you recover from a workplace injury. We can also help you file paperwork and track medical expenses and treatments. 

We offer a wide range of medical treatments to help manage pain and encourage optimal healing, including physical therapy, chiropractic care, prescription medication, and injections. 

To schedule an evaluation after a workplace injury, simply call our office or use our online booking feature today to request an appointment.