A severe injury is a lot to cope with, physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, all of this can be compounded when your injury happens at your place of work, because the administrative tasks seem to keep piling up when all you want to do is rest.
Although it might seem overwhelming, this is something you can handle. Here are some steps you can take to make sure you’re staying on top of things but still supportive yourself above all.
Report the Incident
First of all, you need to make reporting the incident to your employer a priority. Make sure that you file a report as soon as physically possible after the incident.
If you’re able to document anything about the incident, this will be helpful to add to your report. You could submit pictures of where and when it happened, any equipment that wasn’t working right, or other possible contributing factors.
Understand Worker’s Compensation
Make sure that you understand your rights when it comes to worker’s compensation – you might need to take a look at your employment contract to understand what you can claim for.
You might also want to consult a legal expert on the matter. A Phoenix personal injury law firm is a great starting point for someone dealing with a workplace injury, as they will be able to provide guidance on your compensation claim and help you to understand your rights.
Follow Medical Advice
Listening to your health practitioner’s advice is imperative for your recovery, and could also help you out in your compensation claim process, since you might be asked for evidence that you’re doing what it takes to recover.
Also, your doctor knows best! Neglecting your rehab or overexerting yourself before you’ve made a full recovery could delay your healing and bring on unnecessary pain. It’s important that you take good care of yourself in order to get back on your feet as soon as possible.
Maintain Open Communication
Even after filing a report on your injury, you’ll need to keep communicating with your employer about the situation. You’ll need to update them on what your doctor says, about the compensation claims, and about how much time you’ll need to recover.
It might be a tough conversation to have when you realize you need more recovery time, or that you want to claim for massive medical expenses, but communicating openly is the only way to get through these processes.
Seek Emotional Support
Recovering from an injury can be an emotionally taxing time as well, especially if the injury will have long-lasting or even permanent effects on your lifestyle.
Make sure that you surround yourself with your loved ones, and ask for emotional support when you need it. Talk about how you’re feeling and let people know if you need help. It might even be a good idea to seek professional therapy if you find that you’re struggling mentally with the changes to your body.
Manage Your Finances
An injury can have financial implications that stretch beyond just medical bills. You might have to deal with ongoing rehab, lose income due to loss of productivity, need to change your diet or add supplements to your routine, and even pay for psychological assistance.
While some or all of these costs might be claimed, this isn’t always the case. Make sure that you assess your budget and how it might be impacted.
Prioritize Self-Care and Healing
Aside from all the admin you’re dealing with, you’ll also need to take care of yourself. Beyond just adhering to bedrest and completing your rehabilitation exercises, this is also a time when you’ll need to leverage self-care practices in order to deal with your injury and recover, both mentally and physically.
Get plenty of rest and engage in activities that will help you relax and de-stress. Naturally, you might be limited, so consider things you can do while in bed or being minimally active.
Plan for Returning to Work
Of course, you will eventually need to get back on the horse, and it’s a good idea to have a plan in place to do so. Whether you’re dreading it or can’t wait – talk about your return with your employer.
You might be able to start by working from home while you’re still recovering, which is an easy first step. Discuss any physical limitations you might be dealing with and assess whether you will be able to return to work at full capacity or not.
Keep Documentation
It’s always a good idea to keep any documentation related to your injury filed away safely for future reference. Keep any medical documents, evidence from the incident, invoices, communication with your insurer or attorney, and even interactions with your employer.
Try to keep both a physical and a digital copy of these documents stored safely where they can be easily found and accessed should you need them in the future.
Stay Patient and Positive
Recovery can be a tough mental game. It often feels like you’re taking one step forward and then two steps back, which can be incredibly frustrating – not to mention the pain that you’re dealing with!
However, trying to focus on the positive as often as possible will really help you to keep your spirits up and make it through this difficult time. Instead of thinking about your setbacks and how long it’s taking you to recover, rather be intentional of recording your progress and milestones so you can easily look back at how far you’ve come when you’re feeling discouraged.
Review Workplace Safety
Finally, before returning to your place of work, make sure to review any workplace safety practices and regulations that are in place. Make sure you’re up to date on and practices that you personally need to be engaging in to stay safe, safety gear that can be worn, and how to keep tools and equipment maintained.
You might even suggest to your employer that they give an updated training course to all employees – just to refresh everyone’s memory.