Accidents happen in all types of jobs. A minor scrape or cut may not seem like a big deal. A “twinge” in your back after lifting an item may not be bothersome at the time.
However, it is important to inform your employer whenever you have suffered a workplace injury, no matter how minor it may seem.
Limitations of workers’ compensation
It may be stating the obvious, but workers’ compensation insurance only covers workplace incidents. That is why it is essential to report all injuries.
A scratch, cut or bruise may seem inconsequential. You may slap a Band-Aid on the wound and go about your day. But what if you develop a fever a week later? What if an infection has made a small problem much larger? Without documentation of the original injury, it is easy for an employer’s insurance provider to argue that the injury occurred outside of work.
Similar problems can arise with back or muscle injuries. Let’s say you strain your back on Friday afternoon and, after the weekend, your injury has left you in considerable pain. If you did not report the injury on Friday, it will be very difficult to prove your back injury occurred at work.
Reporting an injury can strengthen your claim
It might seem like a waste of time and a hassle to report minor workplace injuries, and hopefully, that’s all your work-related injury ends up being.
Yet by documenting injuries in the workplace, you help create a clear picture of how an injury happened. This will bolster your claim for workers’ comp benefits if a minor injury turns into a major problem.
