What Steps Should Miners Take After a Work Injury?

Miners should report a work injury to their employer, gather evidence if possible, seek immediate medical attention, and reach out to an attorney for help. Taking these steps can help a miner secure fair compensation for the losses caused by a workplace accident. 

An Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer can provide more detailed information about the steps to take after a mining accident. An attorney can also provide information about actions to avoid after an on-the-job injury. 

Miners Should Notify Their Employers After an Injury

You should immediately inform your employer of a work injury when working as a miner. Notifying your employer will create an official record of the incident that caused your injury, and an Atlanta personal injury lawyer can use this record when building a claim to bring you compensation. 

You should request a copy of the incident report for your own records.

Miners Should Gather Evidence if Possible 

 You may have a chance to collect evidence about the causes of your mining accident, depending on the extent of your injuries. If possible, legal professionals recommend that you:

• Take pictures of your injuries and the place where the accident took place
• Get contact information from your coworkers who saw the accident
• Write down everything you remember about the accident

Your attorney may use this information to help you seek fair compensation. 

Miners Should Seek Medical Care After a Work Injury

You need to get prompt medical attention after a mining injury. Seeking medical care can improve your chances of making a full recovery and also establish the extent of your injuries, making it harder for workers’ comp to deny or undervalue your claim. 

Depending on your circumstances, you may need treatment for:

• Broken bones 
• A concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Burns (including chemical burns)
• Crush injuries

You should share the full extent of your injuries with a medical provider so they can treat you and make an official record of your required care. 

Injured Miners Should Contact a Workers’ Comp Lawyer for Help

Finally, it’s essential that you reach out to a legal professional for help after a mine accident. An attorney can immediately assess your situation, answer any questions you have, and review your options to secure fair compensation for your losses. 

An attorney can explain what steps miners should take after a work injury and take charge of your legal situation. 

You should speak to a lawyer before discussing your mine injury or signing any paperwork from your employer or the workers’ comp system in Georgia. You may end up accepting an offer that fails to cover all your losses if you act without legal support. 

How a Lawyer Can Help Miners After a Work Injury

Your lawyer can help you determine what steps miners should take after a work injury and immediately start building a claim to bring you financial compensation for your losses. Depending on your circumstances, an attorney may:

Find the Liable Party

Attorneys review your situation to determine who caused your work injury in a mine. Lawyers need to complete this step because it determines how you can seek compensation for your losses. 

You will need to file a workers’ comp claim if your employer holds responsibility for your injuries. However, if a third party, like a machine manufacturer, caused your injuries, you may have a chance to file a personal injury lawsuit instead. 

Filing a lawsuit may allow you to get more compensation, but you cannot sue your employer in Georgia. You can discuss all your options with your attorney and learn more about what workers’ compensation lawyers do. 

Build a Claim for Compensation

Your attorney will assess the causes of your mining accident and collect evidence to build your claim. Your lawyer can request surveillance footage showing the accident, go over documents from your employer, and explore other avenues to support your claim. 

Track All of Your Losses

Finally, your workers’ comp lawyer can keep track of all the economic and non-economic losses you face after a mining injury. Depending on your circumstances, your lawyer may help you get money to pay for your:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost wages 
• Diminished earning potential
• Pain, emotional anguish, and mental suffering

Note that the workers’ comp system in Georgia will only cover some of these losses. For example, workers’ comp only pays for up to 66% of your lost wages instead of the total amount. 

Therefore, your attorney may consider other methods of bringing you compensation, like a lawsuit against a third party that caused an accident. 

Talk to Us About What to Do After a Mining Work Injury

What steps should miners take after a work injury? You should notify your employer, seek medical care, collect evidence, and hire an attorney to help after a mining injury. Our team at John Foy & Associates can support you and help with your legal claim. 

We’re ready to help when you call or complete our online contact form.