Toxic Exposure at the Workplace – What to Do?
Workplace toxic substance exposure can cause different injuries to workers. For example, skin exposure to hazardous substances can cause irritation, swelling, and deformities, and inhalation can cause severe health risks like cancer. In worst cases, toxic exposure can even cause birth defects and death.
Unfortunately, toxic exposure accidents may happen anytime and put your health in great danger.
You should thus know what to do after a toxic substance exposure in the workplace. These steps help you get the proper treatment and claim workers’ compensation benefits.
What to Do After a Toxic Substance Exposure in the Workplace
1. Report to Your Employer
Filing an accident report is the first step you must do after a toxic exposure in the workplace. You must submit a written report to your employer with vital information like:
- Your name and contact details
- Time, date, and place of the accident
- A thorough description of the accident
- Injuries sustained
In California, you must inform your employer about your injury within 30 days after the accident to be eligible for workers’ comp. The clock starts after you notice the first symptom of an ailment due to prolonged toxic exposure.
2. Seek Immediate Medical Treatment
You must seek medical evaluation soon after the toxic exposure accident or after noticing the first symptom.
Remember that some toxic substances quickly spread throughout the body. Thus, immediately visiting a doctor is vital to prevent complications and to begin your recovery.
Moreover, an immediate medical check-up shows you have sustained a critical injury that needs urgent treatment. So, it proves you have a significant health problem, and you deserve compensation.
On the other hand, delays in seeking medical care may show you are not significantly worried about your condition. The workers’ comp insurance provider may use medical evaluation delays to deny your claim.
3. Consult a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Filing a workers’ comp claim for toxic exposure injury is challenging, especially if you suffer from an ailment that developed over time. You should thus hire a Burbank workers’ compensation attorney to prove that exposure to a specific toxic substance caused your work-related health problem.
Some of the tasks they will do to support your claim are:
- Investigate the workplace accident
- Study your injury and check the toxic substance that caused it
- Gather evidence like medical documents, witness statements, and video footage
- Represent you in compensation litigation or settlement
- Prove the compensation you deserve
4. File a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Your employer will provide the DWC-1 form or the workers’ compensation claim form within 24 hours after you report your injury. However, you may also download a copy from the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) website.
Fill out the employee section and return the form to your boss. They will then fill out the employer’s area and submit the document to their insurance provider.
The insurance provider will investigate your case and decide about approving or denying your claim. The law considers your claim approved if the insurance carrier fails to resolve it within 90 days.
Consult your Burbank workers’ compensation attorney about filing an appeal if the insurance provider denies your claim.
Call a Workers Compensation Lawyer in Burbank to Claim Toxic Exposure Injury Benefits
Hazardous substance exposure can cause debilitating injuries or even put your life at risk. You should thus get immediate medical care after a toxic substance exposure in the workplace to prevent complications.
Also, claim workers’ compensation for financial help while recovering, especially if your injury prevents you from returning to work. A Burbank workers’ compensation attorney will help you claim the rightful benefits for toxic exposure injuries.