Workplaces throughout North Carolina have adopted best practices to conform to state and federal safety regulations that protect the customers and workers who enter their facilities each day. However, despite diligent planning and the use of protective training and devices, many individuals get hurt on the job each and every year. When a person gets hurt in the course of performing their job duties, they may be entitled to workers’ compensation support.
Employers that are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance must follow certain procedures to make sure that workers’ compensation is available to those who are in their service. To begin the process of getting workers’ compensation from one’s employer, a hurt worker should follow certain steps.
First, they must notify their employer of their injury. If an injury occurs from an accident that constitutes an emergency, that notification should come as soon as possible following the victim’s receipt of emergency treatment. Without notification of an injury, an employer has no responsibility to begin the workers’ compensation process.
Second, the injured employee should ask to see a doctor. Depending on the circumstances, the victim may have to see a doctor approved by their employer, or they may see a doctor of their choice. After asking for medical attention, a worker should ask for the proper paperwork to file a claim for workers’ compensation.
Securing workers’ compensation help should not be something that an injured employee has to fight for, but in some cases employers attempt to avoid paying out on legitimate workers’ compensation claims. An attorney may be able to help an injured worker protect their right to compensation after a workplace injury.
