When workers become injured on the job in North Carolina, they may decide not to report it. There are several reasons people come to this decision. They may believe the injury is not that serious or that the employer may retaliate against them for reporting it. The North Carolina Industrial Commission recommends that workers take the first step by seeking medical treatment that fits the injury.
Sometimes there is a health care provider on site; other times the employer may have a designated health provider to handle workplace injuries. Consider this before any other option. Note that an injury may be so bad that it requires a visit to the emergency room. Whichever option a worker takes, the next step is to report to the health care provider that the injury is work-related. They may then need the employer’s name. This allows them to bill the treatment under a workers’ compensation claim.
The third step is to report the accident to the employer, manager or another relevant party. If the worker cannot report the injury on their own, then the health care provider, a family member, friend or colleague may do so on their behalf. The fourth step involves providing written notice to the employer of the work-related injury. If the worker cannot write this, the aforementioned parties may once again lend assistance.
Finally, the worker needs to focus on following the doctor’s orders. This helps to increase the likelihood of restoring the person’s health to where it was before the accident so that they are able to work again soon.
When the injury is so serious that the person may not return to work for a long time, they may decide to apply for Social Security disability. CNBC notes that the process is long and there is a high chance of denial. However, for the people who make it through the application process, SSD may help keep them afloat while they recover.
