Skip to Content Top

Steps to Take Immediately after Being Hurt at Work in New York

|

If you’ve been injured on the job, you may not be sure what to do first, or how to ensure that your right to be compensated for your injury is protected under New York State Workers' Compensation law. Here are some guidelines on what to do after you’ve been hurt at work.

  1. Seek Treatment
    Not only should you get treatment for your injury in order to heal, but you may need to do so in order to collect workers’ compensation for your injury. However, unless the injury is so serious that you have to take an ambulance or otherwise visit an emergency room, you need to make sure you see a doctor who is on the list of doctors approved by the Workers’ Compensation Board.
  2. Report the Injury
    It’s important that you report your injury to your supervisor as soon as possible after the accident. You have 30 days in the state of New York to ensure that your job knows about the accident in order to be able to receive workers’ compensation payments for your injury. Some companies also have internal deadlines to provide notice that are as short as 24 or 48 hours. If you’ve missed these deadlines, there are certain exceptions that may apply which a lawyer can help you navigate.
  3. Keep Track of Reports and Documents
    Make sure that your employer has created a report of your accident after you’ve provided notice of it. If there isn’t a report, you may want to send an email to your supervisor, or a return receipt letter, describing the accident, so that there’s a record. Any time you speak with someone about your accident, see a doctor, or talk to a workers’ compensation insurance agent, write down when the conversation happened, who you spoke with, and what you discussed. Creating a thorough record will help support your claim if it’s contested later.
  4. Get Help from an Experienced Legal Professional
    Making sure that you receive everything you’re owed for being hurt at work isn’t always easy; the system is just too complicated and confusing for the average person who is unfamiliar with the process. To make matters worse, insurance companies want to do all they can not to pay you, and they have a department full of lawyers on their side that can be intimidating to the average employee. If you’ve been injured on the job, make sure you have a knowledgeable and experienced attorney on your side, zealously representing your rights. Contact New York workers’ compensation attorney Peter M. Cordovano for a free consultation on your claim, at (845) 414-8482.
Categories: 
Share To: