What Do You Do If Someone Is Injured at Your Workplace?

Do you know what to do if someone is injured at your workplace? You may think you’re in the safest environment in the world. Perhaps you are in a highly controlled office space. Or maybe you are working somewhere that you feel there is no risk at all. But there is always a risk! And there are always accidents. That’s why you should be prepared in case someone gets hurt.

There are several options to consider. First of all, if you have any training, do some basic first aid. This can mean the difference between a small injury and a large one. Second, call a lawyer if you need to. Particularly when it comes to workplace injuries, the law may need to get involved if any court cases have to follow.

Third, you need to gather evidence around the incident. Take pictures or videos of the surrounding area, and talk to everyone who was nearby. If possible, when someone is injured, do your best to determine who is liable as well – your decision regarding which evidence together may make a difference later.

First Aid

After an injury, if you know basic first aid, you should use your knowledge to the benefit of everyone around. This might be as simple as making sure that you clean a wound, put a disinfectant on it, and then add a bandage. In more extreme cases, advanced knowledge of first aid can be helpful. In most workplaces, there’s a first aid kit available – make sure you know where it is so that you can handle a work-injury situation quickly and with as little stress and confusion as possible.

Gather Evidence

Whenever there is an accident or an incident, you should always gather evidence. Gathering evidence at the scene of trouble means that you can take pictures and videos and talk to people nearby as well as getting their information. By doing this quickly, you make sure that if there is someone or something responsible, there are timestamps, notifications, and hard evidence that can be presented in court later. Ideally, you employer will want to know as much as possible about the surrounding events of an injury, so they’ll appreciate your eye for detail at this point.

Determine Liability

It can be very difficult to determine the liability involved in an accident in the workplace. That’s one reason that lawyers should be involved. But if you can, try and figure out where the responsibility might lay in an incident at work so that truth will be forthcoming. Even if it is not your job or your obligation to do this, being accountable in these situations is essential. Especially if a situation is judged to be entirely accidental, the idea of liability becomes even more fuzzy. Was it negligence on the part of someone who was supposed to maintain something? Did an accident happen because of some natural phenomenon? All these are important questions to ask to determine who or what was at fault.

Call a Lawyer

Especially when it comes to workplaces, the legal system may need to be involved for various regulatory reasons. Because of this, it’s not a bad idea to contact a personal injury lawyer right away. The company involved may have one already set, or you may have to make an individualized decision based on the context and circumstances. However, not all lawyers are the same. It’s possible that some personal injury attorneys might not take your case. Make sure there is enough grounds for filing legal action. A quick consultation call might be all you need to decide the appropriate action.