When should I report an accident?

You should report an accident to your employer and enter and information into the Union Safety System app as soon as possible after the accident.  There are many times a person is injured without requiring immediate medical attention, so a person may take a wait and see approach and not report the incident.  When an accident is not reported, an employer can deny medical treatment and benefits for missed time from work, and it could also impact the injured person’s ability to recover for his injuries.

Should I identify any witnesses to the accident?

It is important for you to know which of your co-workers saw the accident.  In the event of an injury, co-workers are the best witnesses as to the circumstances surrounding the accident as well as the cause. They may also be in a position to verify your account of what happened in case your account of the accident is challenged.

If I am injured, when should I seek medical attention?

Immediately. If you are injured in an auto accident, tell the police.  If the police offer medical attention, accept it.  At the hospital, answer the doctors’ questions honestly.  Sometimes people don’t realize they’re injured until the day after the accident, or delay getting treatment.  “Toughing it out” for days before seeing a doctor doesn’t usually help an injured person get better and it may make the injured employee’s legal case worse.

Should I give a recorded interview or written statement?

No. These statements are often requested by insurance companies so they can document important legal issues in a case.  Politely decline any recorded statement until after you consult with a lawyer or your union representative.

Should I save physical evidence?

After reporting the incident, and memorizing the details through your Union Safety System, it is important to save any physical evidence associated with the incident. In a slip and fall case, keep the shoes and clothes you were wearing at the time of the accident.  Don’t wash the stains off of clothes.  If you were injured by a product, save all of the product pieces as well as the packaging and instructions.  It can be very difficult to prove a products liability case without the product – and unfortunately, sometimes employers will discard a defective product after an accident.