What Should I Do When I’m Injured on the Job?

When you’re injured on the job, what do you do? Is there a certain set of procedures that you have to follow? Who do
you have to notify? What are you entitled to? What do you do if your employer tries to blame the accident on you?
What can you do?

In this FAQ, Gary details the different steps you should take immediately following an accident, and what you are
entitled to and should ask for after an accident. If you have any questions about this FAQ, or if you’re currently
suffering from an injury and need help, call our team at 314-542-2222 or 618-272-2222. If you need immediate
assistance, our Personal Injury Lawyers in St. Louis can help you. We don’t charge any fees
for our consultations, and we never charge any attorneys fees unless we win your claim.

What should I do when I’m injured on the job?

When you’re injured on the job, you have a workers compensation injury and claim under the Missouri or Illinois Workers
Compensation Acts. What should you do?

First, tell your employer immediately about your accident. Have them do a report of injury.

Then, you have to go get medical care. The employer has the right to choose the medical care, but if they don’t send
you to someone, use your own health insurance and go get your own medical care, or go to urgent care, or go to the
ER, or go to your primary care doctor and get the medical care you need. Regardless of whether or not comp is going
to cover the case or fight about it, you need to get that medical care to show that continuity of care.

Very often, employers will get you the care right away and be responsible. When they’re not, you need to still take care
of yourself, so go get that care, continue to get the care in your workers’ compensation case.

And, what often happens and sometimes happens in these cases is that the employer will try to settle your case and
try to resolve your case without paying you the lump sum disability you’re entitled to at the end of your case.
They’ll say, “Hey, we paid for your medical. We paid your TTD, your Temporary Total Disability, so we’re not going
to pay you anymore. Go away.”

Don’t do that. You’re entitled to a lump sum disability settlement at the end of the case. Even if their doctor says
you’re zero percent, and sometimes they do that. Doctors often think that they’ll do surgery on someone who’s zero
percent disabled. Doctors also have an incentive to low-rate you so they keep getting the business from the workers
compensation insurance company, but you’re not.

At the end of your case, you’re entitled to a lump sum disability settlement based on the area of the body where you
were injured and your percentage of disabilities. So, if you’re injured as your body of as a whole you get 400 weeks of
your pay times your percentage of disability. And, Missouri sets out the specific Permanent Partial Disability,
Permanent Total Disability amounts per week that you’re entitled to and the statutes are clear and this is made by the
Comp Division, and call me up, I’ll send you one of these or email you one of these. They’ll tell you, “So if you have
an injury at your shoulders, 232 weeks. The body as a whole, that.”

What lawyers like me can do that’s beneficial is that we can make sure that you’re accurately rated and your disability
is taken into account. For instance, if you have severe injuries to your back or your hands or your shoulders or your
head, you not only maybe injured at your wrist or your shoulder, 232 weeks, or your left knee at a 160 weeks, but your
whole body may be affected so you may have a Permanent Partial Disability of your knee but that may affect your body as
a whole, so you also may have a body as a whole disability as well and that will entitle you to more money.

So, please remember to get your medical right away. Look out for yourself. If you’re denied medical, use your own health
insurance and get what medical you can, and at the end of the case, don’t walk away without a lump sum disability
settlement.

If you have any questions about this, I answer all questions for free. I’ll tell you what to take and what not to take,
and if you need a lawyer, if I can add value to your case, I will tell you that, and if you like me, I’ll do that. Gary
Burger, 314-542-2222. Thanks.

Gary Burger

Founder | Injury Attorney
Gary Burger has dedicated his career to standing up against bullies. The founder and principal attorney of Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer has helped hundreds of Missouri and Illinois individuals and families recover th …
Years of experience: 30 years
Location: St. Louis, MO

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