Some workers who suffer an on-the-job injury may not want to report an injury because they might feel like they will get into trouble. The issue with failing to report the injury is that it can prevent workers from getting the benefits they need.
A workplace injury might seem minor immediately after the accident. Pain and other symptoms might become worse as time progresses, so it’s critical to report the incident immediately. This clears the way for medical care to be covered by workers’ compensation.
Reporting an injury creates a record
Reporting the injury quickly creates a record of what happened and when it happened. It connects the injuries with the work-related incident, which is beneficial when you need to receive workers’ compensation benefits. If you don’t report the injury right away, there might be questions about the source of the injury. Those questions could have a negative impact on your ability to receive workers’ compensation.
Another reason to immediately report the injury is because company policy may require this. Additionally, there are strict time limits for reporting injuries in Pennsylvania. Failing to report the injury right away could trigger disciplinary action due to breaking company regulations. However, it is against the law for companies to retaliate against employees for filing reports of injuries at work or because they file for workers’ compensation benefits.
Even if you report an injury right away, you may still have to fight for workers’ compensation benefits. These matters can be complex, especially if the workplace injury isn’t reported immediately. Working with someone who’s familiar with on-the-job injuries and workers’ compensation may be beneficial.