Steps to Take After a Serious Injury
Getting injured can be a major shock to the system in more ways than one. Of course, the pain and trauma of the injury itself is enough to deal with, but there’s also typically a whole lot of admin that comes along with an incident like this, especially if you were injured at work or in a public space.
In these cases, it’s important that you follow some kind of protocol to ensure you’re handling things correctly and making things as easy for yourself as possible.
Document the Incident
First and foremost, try to take notes and gather evidence of the incident, where and how it happened. This will be important when reporting the incident and opening up a case for compensation, if you choose to do so.
Take photos of any faulty equipment, unsafe conditions, or other circumstances that lead you to become injured.
Of course, you then immediately need to seek medical attention, and this should take first priority if your injury is more severe.
Consult with an Attorney
When you’ve been through a medical check and have received healthcare advice and treatment, you’ll need to get in touch with a lawyer to help you with the legal side of things. This will all depend on where and how your injury occurred.
You may need to ask for assistance with a request for admissions to defendant, find out about dealing with claiming compensation for time off work, or any other number of legal queries.
Notify Relevant Authorities
If you’ve been injured in the workplace, you’ll need to report the incident to your employer as soon as possible. You should provide them with as much information about the incident as you can, as well as supply them with any evidence you gathered. If you were injured in a car accident, or by someone else’s dog, you might want to contact the police.
You should also notify your family and friends and let anyone important know what has happened to you, and if you were in an accident in a car that isn’t yours, you’ll need to inform the owner if there has been damage to the car.
Preserve Evidence
As already mentioned, it’s important that you take notes and collect the relevant evidence from the scene. All of this information will become important for insurance purposes and in any legal steps taken.
Even after the case is closed, it’s a good idea to keep a record (physical or digital) of all the evidence, reports, and other documentation from the incident that might still be important in the future.
Follow Medical Treatment Plans
Once you have dealt with the admin, you need to focus on your healing. Make sure to adhere to any medical advice given by your healthcare provider – this is important for both your recovery and for your compensation claims.
Take time to rest, engage in rehabilitation, and you can even use CBD for pain and stress management throughout your healing journey.
