If you have just been in a car accident at work, it’s crucial to take the right steps afterward. Taking certain precautions following your accident can save you from liabilities and quicken your recovery. More importantly, following these actions after an accident can result in a seamless compensation claim that offsets your financial burdens.
Of course, it’s not always easy to make sound decisions following a car accident at work. The initial shock of the event can throw you off, dividing your attention between seeking compensation and caring for injuries.
Luckily, we are here to help. Whether you have met a delivery driver accident or a work truck wreck in Orlando, you can follow these simple steps for a smooth recovery and compensation claim.
1. Do Not Move Your Vehicle — Notify Authorities
It might be tempting to head to your nearest hospital right away. However, driving to a hospital is considered leaving the scene of an accident. In Florida and many other states, this is illegal.
Instead, call 911 to have emergency medical services dispatched your way. This way, you can have any injuries attended to without leaving the scene.
Besides calling EMS, you should also call the police to file a report on the accident, and notify your employer of your accident.
2. Get Information About the Other Motorist if Another Vehicle Is Involved
If your delivery driver accident or work truck wreck in Orlando involved other motorists, you need to check up on them and get their information. This will come in handy later on when you file a personal injury claim. You can also add any of the information you have obtained to the accident report once the police or highway patrol arrives.
Make sure you get the other drivers’ personal and contact information. Also, record the time of the incident and the license plate numbers of other vehicles involved in the accident.
3. Seek Medical Care If EMS Finds Severe Injuries
Injuries like whiplash and internal bleeding aren’t always observable. This can make seeking medical care seem unnecessary following an accident.
Luckily, EMS members will assess you as soon as they arrive on the scene. They are trained professionals who can spot injuries before they become full-blown, life-threatening conditions.
Besides assessing you for injuries, EMS can also bring you to the nearest hospital where you can receive treatment. As you receive treatment, you will be on your way to recovery from your car accident at work.
4. Ask for Medical Records While You Are in Treatment
Medical records contain all of the information involving your injuries. These records will also show how bad these injuries are.
While you are in recovery, your attending physician will also give you an impairment rating. The impairment rating indicates how difficult the injury makes it for you to perform your daily activities. It can also indicate whether or not you have sustained a permanent or temporary injury.
Documenting your injuries will allow your employer to claim workers’ compensation coverage from the company’s insurance provider. You should also keep copies of these documents for yourself if you wish to file a personal injury claim later on.
5. Gather Receipts of Your Expenses
In Florida, personal injury protection insurance only covers roughly $10,000 worth of expenses. When your medical bills exceed this amount, you will have to pay for what isn’t covered. The amount can be substantial depending on the nature of your injuries.
If you have paid for a lot of uncovered expenses, you can seek reimbursement. To successfully file a claim, you need receipts to prove how much you have paid.
6. Continue To Be in Touch With Law Enforcement
Law enforcement may continue to be in touch with you to gather further information about your accident. Be sure to maintain contact with the police or the highway patrol. Giving further statements about what happened will add to your traffic accident report. This will serve as evidence for compensation claims.
If possible, try to get documents like the police or highway patrol traffic report. You can add this to your files for later reference and use.
7. Call Your Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Florida
When you file a worker’s compensation claim, you may face a denial. This is where a workers’ comp lawyer in Florida comes in.
Your workers’ compensation lawyer can build a persuading case using the information and documents you have gathered. If your claim is successful, you will be compensated for the injuries you have sustained from the incident. You can also recover reimbursements for your medical expenses. Most importantly, you will receive wage-loss benefits for the days of work you missed while you were recovering.
It’s equally important to note that calling a lawyer can also benefit you if you make a personal injury claim against the driver. However, you will need to prove the other driver’s fault and negligence of Florida’s traffic laws.
A lawyer can prove another driver’s negligence, making you eligible for another claim. The compensation you stand to receive on top of your workers’ compensation makes a personal injury claim worth pursuing with a lawyer.
In short, you can benefit from hiring a lawyer after a work-related car accident in Florida.
Have You Encountered a Car Accident at Work? Are You Being Denied Compensation? Call Us Now
You are entitled to workers’ compensation if you’ve been in a car accident at work. However, you may be denied or only granted partial compensation. Denials do occur, and when they do, you need legal representation to get what is due to you.
If you are being denied compensation for your delivery driver accident or work truck wreck in Orlando, we are here.
Call us now for a free consultation and be on your way to recovery with a successful workers’ compensation claim.