Accidents can happen in any type of working environment, although some are more dangerous than others. The most common workplace accidents include overexertion; slips, trips and falls; and contact with objects or equipment, all of which can have a significant impact on your life. To learn more about the consequences of a workplace accident, take a look at how they can affect you:
1. Bodily Injury
When you’re involved in a work accident, you could sustain various types of injuries. From relatively minor harm, such as sprains and strains, to more serious injuries, like spinal damage or traumatic brain injuries, a work accident can have a variety of consequences when it comes to your physical health.
Following an accident at work, you may need to access medical treatment. Depending on the severity of your injuries, this could involve short-term treatment, but your recovery period may be lengthy. In some cases, people will need to receive on-going treatment or medical care because of an injury they’ve sustained at work.
2. Inability to Work
If you’ve been hurt, you may be unable to work while you’re recovering from your injury. After you’ve healed, it may be possible for you to return to your usual duties, but this isn’t always the case. In some instances, people are unable to carry out the role they previously held, or they may be unable to work at all. Of course, this can be a devastating consequence of an unforeseen workplace injury and one which is often overlooked.
3. Financial Impact
When you experience unexpected injuries in a workplace accident, it can have a significant impact on your finances. You may have medical expenses that need to be paid, for example, and you may lose some or all of your income while you’re unable to work. If you can’t return to your usual role, you’ll also need to consider the income you’ll lose in the future. Furthermore, the cost of accessing practical help while you’re recovering can be considerable, which can further decimate your financial situation.
Taking Legal Action After a Work Accident
If you’ve been hurt at work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation, regardless of who was at fault. However, if your employer was negligent, you could be eligible to make a personal injury compensation claim against them. After a workplace accident, it’s important to get the financial compensation you’re entitled to, which is why it’s worth getting legal advice from a reputable personal injury law firm, like Horst Shewmaker.
With assistance from personal injury lawyers, you can find out if you’re eligible to make a claim against your employers and, if so, how much compensation you could receive. Given the far-reaching impact that a workplace accident can have, taking legal action now could protect your future and enable you to access the help and support you need.
Whether you’ve been injured on a construction site, a warehouse, or in an office environment, pursuing legal action after a workplace accident can be one of the most effective ways to deal with the situation.
