One day you walk into work, and it’s a day like any other. You cheerfully greet your co-workers, take a sip from your cup of coffee and adjust your bags, when bam—suddenly you find yourself on the floor. You’ve slipped and wiped out in a pool of water that’s gathered from an unmonitored, unattended leak from a busted pipe in the ceiling. As you try to get yourself together, you suddenly realize how much pain you’re feeling—to your dismay, your ankle is bent, throbbing, and obviously broken.
While not a tragic injury, the losses you may incur may indeed be costly.Since the incident has taken place at work, your supervisors have called an ambulance—you obviously cannot walk or drive on your broken ankle. Since you need to stand, walk, and move quickly to perform your job, you won’t be able to return to work for some time. If you’re lucky, your employer will gladly accept responsibility for the accident and help you receive your due compensation for lost income, but what if they’re not so ethical? What if you run up against intimidation, hostility, or dismissal? Even worse, what if your ankle injury is worse than you thought, and keeps you off your feet for months, even years?
Thankfully, Canadian labour laws are designed to protect workers from such abuse. The WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) can protect your rights and help you receive appropriate compensation when an injury occurs on the job. Nevertheless, the claim and appeal process can sometimes be complex, and adequate proof is often hard to present if you aren’t prepared or if your employer is hostile. There’s hope, though! A qualified workplace injury lawyer can help you through the process!
While working with a legal expert is an excellent idea, you should also be prepared to follow standard protocol to ensure you are successful in your claim. Seek medical assistance immediately, even for non-debilitating injuries, as they may worsen and a prompt response optimizes your chances of a full recovery and proper documentation. Be sure to report your injury to your employer—never feel as though you have to hide or conceal your accident. You will most likelyneed medical records: doctor reports, photographs of your body, photographs of the accident site, and witness testimoniesto verifyyour injury. The time frame to file is also important because injury claims have strict timelines—you can’t file six months after the incident occurs.Knowing what to file, when to file, and how are incredibly important, so it’s best to consult a lawyer to ensure your case is handled properly.
Seek representation from someone familiar with workplace laws—preferably an experienced workers compensation lawyer or paralegal with extensive experience working with the WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board). These are professionalswho will be well acquainted with the Occupiers’ Liability Act. They will be much more likely to assess whetheryour have been treatedethically and legally, and if not, that your claims are taken seriously. Theycan also assist should you receive an unfavourable decision from the WSIB and need to make an appeal. Don’t leave your health in the hands of amateurs—seek a professional and qualified workplace injury lawyer today!