Attorneys
If in a workplace accident and filing a workers' compensation claim, some may meet obstacles in obtaining rightful benefits. For an employer to fill out an accurate injury report, you will need to provide evidence of the accident, including any unsafe workplace conditions. Workers' compensation lawyers in Des Moines, Iowa can help injured workers through the claims process.
Types of Workplace Accident Evidence for a Workers' Compensation Claim
When you suffer injury because of a workplace accident you may need to show evidence that the injury is workplace-related. You must go over what happened when filling out a First Report of Injury (FROI).
On this form there are areas to describe the nature of the injury, the parts of the body affected, the events that caused the injury, any objects or substances involved, activities engaged in when injured, as well as information of a witness to the accident.
To back up your claim that a workplace accident caused your injury, you may utilize various types of evidence such as:
- personal narrative;
- witness descriptions of the accident/injury;
- any defective products/equipment that contributed to the injury;
- photographs or video of the accident scene; and
- medical reports.
The personal narrative is your own account of what happened to cause your injury. This may be an explanation of the equipment you were working with and what happened to cause your injury, or an account of misconduct from another coworker that led to an accident.
Witness descriptions will come from your co-workers or others in the area. For example, say you were using a ladder to fix a sign in a grocery store aisle and the ladder collapsed. If any co-workers nearby saw the incident you should take note of their contact information and inform your supervisor.
If you were working with a piece of equipment or a product that became dangerous because of a defect or error you will want to ensure that it is not tampered with after the accident. Be sure to discuss protecting this piece of evidence with your workers' compensation lawyer in Des Moines, Iowa.
Photographs and video of the accident scene, your injuries, and the equipment involved in the accident can also serve as evidence. Lastly, the medical records for treatment of your injuries can be used to show the consequences of the workplace accident or unsafe workplace conditions.
Filing Your Workers' Compensation Claim
As soon as you are able to report your accident or injury to your employer, do so. Beginning in 2001, all workers' compensation claims are now submitted electronically to the Iowa Division of Workers' Compensation (IDWC).
When submitting your report you may also submit evidence of the accident or unsafe work conditions, as well as some basic information about the reason for the claim. The electronic form requires the time and date when the injury took place, as well as the last date you worked prior to the injury. Your employer will also need to note the location of the accident, whether it was on-site or off-site.
Avoid Unnecessary Delays by Working with Workers' Compensation Lawyers in Des Moines, Iowa
Without clear evidence of your accident or hazardous work conditions, as well as the legitimacy of your injury, your workers' compensation claim may be denied. Workers' compensation lawyers in Des Moines, Iowa at Walker, Billingsley & Bair can help injured workers pursuing a claim. Contact our office in Des Moines at (888) 435-9886 or fill out our online contact form to get in touch and discuss filing a claim for a workplace accident.
