3 Things You Can Do To Support A Workers Comp Case For A Laboratory Injury

If you work in a laboratory environment, you probably have many opportunities to be injured. The laboratory equipment can malfunction. A beaker may break, or a caustic chemical, such as sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide, may inadvertently make contact with your skin. Nevertheless, regardless of the nature of your laboratory injury, it needs to be treated properly, and it may be covered by workers' compensation insurance.

Yet, you may have trouble receiving the compensation you deserve if you don't take certain precautions. Here are a few things that you should do to ensure that your laboratory injury claim is not denied by the workers' comp insurer:

Advise your supervisor as soon as the injury occurs.

A delay in reporting your injury to your supervision could make it more difficult to receive your benefits. Every laboratory injury should be promptly relayed so that your supervisor can compile the injury report.

He or she will likely ask you details about the incident, including the nature of the chemicals or equipment involved. Some equipment may have to remain unused until it can be properly assessed so that other technicians are not injured by it. Additionally, exposure to certain chemicals, such as hydrofluoric acid, are usually associated with a delay in physical response. Hydrofluoric acid continues to eat away at the tissues, although initial exposure may only cause minor irritation. 

Treat onsite and get prompt medical care.

If a chemical has splashed into your eyes or touched your skin, you may have to flush the area with water for several minutes to remove all residue. It is important to start the flushing as soon as possible to avoid increasing tissue damage. 

Additionally, if your injury requires emergency medical care, emergency personnel can be contacted. You may have to be transported to a medical facility to continue treatment, but emergency care can be provided at the scene and in the ambulance. This care provides an official record of your injury, which can be important to confirm the extent of your injury. 

If you procrastinate and ask for medical help weeks after your accident, the workers' comp insurance representatives may not believe that you were injured at work. 

Get your coworkers' account of what happened.

If your injury was witnessed by coworkers, have them write down their account of what transpired, including whether or not you were wearing appropriate protective gear, such as gloves and eye protection. Their testimony can help support your rendition of the incident.

To learn more ways to support a workers' comp case for a lab injury, contact a workers' comp lawyer like Brown & Brown of Prescott in your area.

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