Immediately Notify Your Employer
As soon as you are able to do so, you must notify your employer of the injury. Failing to notify your employer could result in major legal issues down the road, and most companies have very strict regulations regarding injuries. When you are speaking with your employer, you should be completely honest and stick to very basic information. Anything that you tell your employer could be used against you at a later time.
Seek Out Medical Assistance
Many workplace injuries go unreported because employees don’t want to be put on disability, but that can be a serious mistake. Back injuries are particularly devastating, and you might require any number of treatments and procedures to fix the herniated disc. The doctor is also going to suggest a mandatory recovery period so that your spine and all of the surrounding soft tissue has time to heal.
Keep Records
Throughout this entire process, you want to write down as much information as possible, and that includes how the injury took place. You must also keep records of your interactions with your employer whenever possible. In most cases, an employer is required to give an employee a copy of the injury report that was filed. All of that information must be kept in a safe location where it won’t go missing.
Contact an Attorney
Unfortunately, some workplace injuries turn into complicated legal battles that take years to resolve. A workers compensation attorney will be able to help you come up with a solid case if you feel like you are being mistreated by your employer or not receiving fair compensation. They can carry out all of the legal maneuverings so that you will be able to focus on your health and recovery.
Even if you think that you are going to be taken care of after being injured at work, you must still take steps to protect yourself. Ignoring your herniated disc or attempting to go back to work right away could result in debilitating health problems that haunt you for the rest of your life.