As a construction worker in Montana, you are often subjected to harsh working conditions outdoors, physically difficult jobs, and a higher potential for injury. When an injury does affect you in the workplace, you want to make sure you can take care of yourself and be appropriately compensated for any loss of income, as well as mental and physical distress that may accompany it. Here's what you need to consider if you get injured on a construction site in Montana.
Before anything else happens, assessing your personal health is the most important first step. That means making your own observations first, seeking first aid from a trained coworker or first responder, and following up with a visit to your primary care provider, urgent care, or the emergency room if the situation demands.
Be sure you don't neglect to have a professional examination as soon as possible, especially if you have any signs of injury. Even if you think you feel alright, or you're sure it's only a bruise, injuries can worsen over time, and the only person who can make a conclusive diagnosis is a medical professional. Adrenaline can lessen pain at the moment, but once it dissipates, you may realize that the problem was more severe than you thought.
As soon as possible, report the injury to your employer or supervisor. From there, make sure to report the incident to your insurance provider – as well as the union, if applicable – and file a workers' compensation claim. If you're able to gather photos of the scene as well as witness statements and contact information, even better.
If you work as an independent contractor, you should have your own insurance. However, just because you have your own insurance doesn't mean you aren't also entitled to compensation from the job site. But often, your insurance company can do the heavy lifting of handling payment logistics with the other party's insurance.
If you're classified as an employee, you'll want to go through your employer or the union for worker's compensation or additional insurance. Worker's compensation typically has tight deadlines for reporting an incident in order to have your medical bills and any time off covered. The sooner you can get that paperwork in, the better.
When you suffer an injury at a construction site, it's not necessarily just your employer who is at fault. Sometimes others such as the property owner, a manufacturer, equipment designer, foreman, or other contractors may bear some of the responsibility.
No matter the case, it's important to report any ongoing issues to the responsible authorities. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) must be notified of workplace accidents involving the death or hospitalization of two or more workers so they can perform an investigation.
Clearly, there can be a lot of moving parts when an injury occurs on a job site. That's where seeking expert legal counsel comes in. A professional injury attorney like those with Cok Kinzler will help you unravel the layers of paperwork and personal responsibility surrounding an incident, so you can focus on the most important job: healing. This is especially important if you foresee any long-term effects from the accident.
Your attorney can help you seek the compensation due to you, not to mention uncover any negligence that may have led to your injury. Working with a personal injury lawyer can also help you dispute denied insurance claims or seek additional financial support when needed.
To seek legal support following your construction site injury, get in touch for a free consultation.
