Iowa Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Can Help Collect Evidence of a Work Injury

Last Updated: 2/22/2024

An Iowa Workers’ Compensation lawyer can be helpful when collecting evidence that demonstrates that your work injury was caused by the lack of safety equipment on the job. Such injuries surely deserve compensation to help you recover physically and to recover damages. 

Evidence Needed for Work Injury Claim 

Evidence will be needed to file a work injury claim. To ensure that you protect your rights to compensation for a work injury, you need to: 

• Report your injury to your employer -- This must be done within 90 days from the time the injury occurred. Under Iowa Workers’ Compensation Law Notice of Injury 85.23, time begins running when you knew you were injured or should have known the injury resulted from a work-related activity.
• Document everything -- Write down everything you remember about your work injury, including the date, time, place, how it happened, any witnesses, who you notified and when, specifics of your injury, and how it has affected your daily life.
• Keep medical records -- Record your appointment dates and times, and the contact information of the medical provider. Be sure to document that you received approval to see the medical provider. This may prove valuable if your medical care is disputed. Also, keep a record of your mileage, meals, and lodging expenses related to your medical treatment. You may be compensated for these costs since they are part of your authorized medical care. 

If you have any questions about any of the types of evidence mentioned above or would like to further discuss collection of necessary evidence, set up a consultation with an attorney familiar with this area of the law. Understanding your rights in such situations and taking appropriate steps to exercise your rights may be helpful in ensuring that you are provided all resources and compensation to which you are entitled to recover from an injury sustained at work. 

By hiring an Iowa Workers’ Compensation lawyer, you will receive professional assistance in navigating the legal process and collecting necessary evidence. A work injury from an employer’s failure to provide safety equipment is a serious grievance. As an injured worker, you will need to prove your injury occurred on the job and was caused by employer negligence in their failure to provide a safe working environment. 

Rights for a Safe Work Environment

Employers are obligated to keep the workplace safe and make efforts to prevent employees from getting injured on the job. This includes a responsibility to provide the right work and safety equipment so workers can get the job done safely. 

Federal organizations, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), mandate standards that employers must follow to provide a safe workplace for their workers. These laws and regulations must be taken into account when considering an employer’s liability for a work injury. 

One law that’s been in effect for over 40 years is the OSHA Act of 1970. It requires all workers be able to do their job under working conditions that are free of known dangers. Safety equipment is required for a reason -- to protect workers. If safety equipment is not provided, an employer clearly is overstepping the lines of known dangers. 

Get Help from an Iowa Workers’ Compensation Lawyer 

An employer who fails to provide safety equipment and a safe work environment is in violation of federal law. The employer must address a work injury that occurs under unsafe work conditions, in addition to shouldering the costs. 

If you’ve suffered a work injury, the Iowa Workers’ Compensation lawyers at Walker, Billingsley & Bair can help. For more information, get a free guide on Iowa Workers’ Compensation – An Insider’s Guide to Work Injuries: 7 Deadly Mistakes. Call for your free copy today at (888) 435-9886 or (888) 435-9886.