Were you in a construction accident? Did you fall off a scaffolding? Did something collapse under you? Were you electrocuted? Did you overexert yourself? It can be a very frightening experience that leaves you very confused at first. That leaves you asking the question of what you should do after after a construction accident.
Get Medical Attention
This is the most important thing that you can do. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible to make sure that you have not suffered a life-threatening injury. They will do things like an X-ray and may even have you undergo an MRI depending on where the injury happened. They can start your treatment, too.
Tell Your Employer
You need to tell your employer what happened so that they can document that you did that. Depending on what state you work in, your employer may have to report the accident. In New York, they definitely need to do that, especially the company’s insurance company. It’s got to be reported within 30 days to allow you to get worker’s compensation. You will have a very good chance of getting that compensation if people from the company saw the accident or there were witnesses. Even with worker compensation, you may have a case to get even more money.
Talk With a Lawyer
This is a good idea even if you think that you can handle making the claim yourself. A lawyer, especially a skilled one, can guide you through the whole process. They can point out things that you might miss and help you get the most money you possibly can.
Find Witnesses
Even if the management of your company saw the accident, you should also locate witnesses who will be able to corroborate the conditions you were working in and the cause of what happened. They might have known about certain safety risks at your work site. A lawyer can use statements about the overall lack of safe work conditions.
You don’t have to just bring witnesses from your job. You can have friends or family members talk about how hard your life has been after the accident. They can speak about how you might have a complete lack of mobility to do even simple things now, for example. That can help show the hardship in your life and determine any pain and suffering.
Compile Evidence For Your Case
There are several things that you need to gather here. First, you should get any evidence that you can from the site where you had the accident. Get pictures and videos – get work colleagues or even a lawyer to do that for you if you can’t.
Next, get all the medical documentation you can. These can prove you were badly injured on the job and not due to a prior condition. Finally, get financial documents that can show what you’ve paid for medical costs. All of these things can help your case.
The best thing to do after getting medical care, which you should do immediately after your accident, is to talk to a lawyer about what happened. Then you can determine who was at fault and whether there was any negligence involved. If there was, you can plan your best course of legal action and get whatever compensation you deserve.
