What to Do After a Workplace Injury

• Report the injury to your supervisor or employer as soon as possible, even if it seems minor
• Get any first aid or emergency care needed for the immediate injury
• Document how the injury happened while it’s fresh — what you were doing, what equipment was involved, and any witnesses present
• Follow your employer’s process for filing a workers’ compensation claim
• Seek a full medical evaluation promptly, rather than waiting to see if symptoms resolve on their own

We see a handful of patterns repeatedly with patients who come to us after a work injury has already become more complicated than it needed to be.

• Delaying the report of the injury, which can create doubt about when and how it happened
• Continuing to work through pain without evaluation, which often worsens the underlying injury
• Inconsistent or vague descriptions of the mechanism of injury across different providers or forms
• Not following through on treatment recommendations, which can affect both recovery and claim status

Once you’re in our care, we help make sure the process moves as smoothly as your injury allows.

• A thorough initial evaluation that documents your injury accurately from the start
• Clear explanations of your diagnosis and treatment plan so you understand what’s happening and why
• Consistent documentation at every visit, tracking your functional progress
• Direct coordination with your employer or claims adjuster when appropriate, so you’re not the only one managing communication

• Your employer’s incident report, if one has already been filed
• Any claim number or adjuster contact information you’ve been given
• A clear description of how the injury happened, including date and time
• A list of your current job duties and physical demands