Suffering a burn at work can leave you struggling with pain for weeks, months and even years. A burn can happen because you were in an accident while in a company car or doing something for work, a fire spread across the office, you suffered an electric shock or you were exposed to a toxic chemical while at work. No matter what your employer tells you or asks of you, you can take action. There are various things that you can and should do after suffering a burn at work like contacting a lawyer in Iowa or your state.
See a Doctor
Seeing a lawyer is one of the first things that you should do. The doctor can determine the severity of the burn with a thorough examination and decide on how to treat the burn. Minor burns may require little beyond the application of some burn cream and a little rest. More extensive types of burning will require that you take medications to help you recover and deal with your pain. Some burns can cause significant nerve damage that can affect you in the future.
Speak to Your Employer
When you receive a burn at work, your employer should fill out and file an incident report and allow you to get medical attention. If your employer asks that you wait until you leave work, you will need to document that and make sure that witnesses overheard it. Once you see your doctor and find out what you need, you can contact your employer and let the company know that you need time off or other things. It’s important that you keep your employed informed of every step you take.
File for Workers’ Comp
Employment laws require that companies pay into a workers’ compensation fund that pays money to those injured on the job. If you find that you cannot work for weeks or longer, you need to file one of these claims. These claims are also suitable for those who suffer nerve damage and other injuries that will keep them from working for a significant period of time. You will need to gather evidence of your injury to show that it happened on the job and medical proof that shows why you cannot work. The department handling these claims may require that you see other doctors or specialists beyond your primary care doctor or an ER physician.
Meet with a Lawyer
Meeting with a lawyer is another thing that you can do after suffering a burn at work. This is especially important if you have any problems with your employer or with filing a compensation claim. Employers may demand that you come back to work, refuse to let you leave for treatments or change your job duties and your pay rate because of the injury. The right lawyer can create a letter that tells your employers what they can and cannot do. A lawyer can also assist you with filing a claim to get compensation.
Not all workers who file compensation claims are on full disability and will never go back to work again. Many just need some time off to recuperate and recover from an injury. When you burn yourself at work, you should see a doctor and meet with a lawyer to file a compensation claim.