Work-related injuries can be terrifying. Not only are you typically more at risk of serious injury when at work, but being injured severely directly impacts your ability to work. Though it is scary, there are options out there and systems designed to support you throughout your recovery. Worker’s rights and compensation have come a long way from those early days of the industrial era, but that doesn’t mean it’s always obvious what to do next.
That’s why, if you’re feeling at a loss of what to do now that you’ve been treated and are stable following a serious work-related injury, these steps will help guide you to where you need to go next.
Request a Comprehensive Recovery Strategy
When you’re injured, there are several key phases that you need to consider. The first is the initial recovery. For most, this means bed rest, eating as healthily as you can to give your body the nutrients it needs to start healing as effectively as possible, and just waiting. Once you heal past a certain point, however, the hard work comes into play. You’ll want a full roster of treatment options, including physiotherapy and other pain management therapies, to help you recover as much strength and flexibility as you’re able.
If you’re in constant pain, you’ll also want to consider holistic pain management treatments. The last thing you want is to overdo it with painkillers. While painkillers can be effective, they can start to lose effectiveness over time as your body builds up immunity. This can actually lead to addiction. That’s why you need multiple ways to ease your pain while you’re building back your body.
Compensation 101
Some of those options will be covered by the NHS. Others will need to be privately funded. Regardless of how much out-of-pocket you pay, however, you do deserve compensation. At a minimum, you deserve compensation for the time you’ve missed out on at work and any future income losses you may incur due to your injury. For example, if you’re a construction worker and lose an arm in an accident and can no longer work the same role, you are due compensation to cover any perceived loss of income.
Pain and suffering, the cost of aids, the cost of treatments – all of this can add up. Don’t assume that you’re better off without this compensation, either. If you don’t have the money to pay for a lawyer to take on your case, find a no-win, no-fee option.
Wondering how no win no fee works? It’s easy. Their fee is taken out of your winnings. If they don’t win you your case, then you don’t owe anything.
Working with Your New Body
If you manage to make a full recovery, great. You’ll be able to restart your career with minimal disruptions. If your injury was serious to the point where you aren’t back up to 100 per cent or even have a new lifelong disability to live with, you’ll need to:
- Get in touch with your employer so they can accommodate your new needs
- Be patient with yourself
- Care for your mental health
- Find tools and strategies to help you live as independently as possible
Keep in mind that all these steps take time. You may also feel like you backtrack sometimes. Either way, you want to keep moving forward until you can live with your disability in a way that feels as fluid as possible.
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