What To Do If You Were Injured On The First Day Of Your Job

If you’re like most people, you’re probably a little excited and nervous about starting a new job. You have to learn the ropes and get used to standard operating procedures, and this learning period also tends to be a time when the majority of work injuries occur. More people get injured within the first two weeks of starting a new job than any other particular period of employment, so it’s not uncommon for us to field calls from workers who were injured within the first few days of starting a new position.

In fact, we’ve even helped clients get compensation for injuries that occurred during their first shift at a new job. In today’s blog, we explain what you should do if you are injured on the first day of your new job, and how Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm can help you get compensation for your injuries.

Workers’ Compensation Waiting Periods

A number of companies have waiting periods before benefits kick in for new hires. Perhaps you need to wait six months before you start accruing paid time off, or you need to work for three months before you can collect a referral bonus. These are some perks and incentives that come with the position, and it’s fine for an employer to require certain conditions be met before they go into effect.

However, workers’ compensation coverage is not something that an employer can gate-keep from its employees. Workers’ compensation protections start on the first day that an employee begins performing duties for the company. That could mean the first time they receive training or their first official shift on the job. If they are performing work duties for the company they have been hired by, they are covered under their employer’s workers’ compensation policy.

In other words, you have the right to pursue compensation if you are hurt on the job during your very first shift. Don’t let your employer tell you otherwise or neglect to file a claim because you are embarrassed that you suffered an injury on your first shift. No matter what anyone at your company says, you are covered, and you should pursue workers’ compensation.

As we alluded to in the introduction, being injured on the first shift or within the first few days working for a company is very common. This can happen for a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s because the new hire simply isn’t familiar with the safest practices for carrying out tasks, while other times the new guy has to do the tasks that nobody else really wants to do, like climb up on a ladder or shovel the sidewalk outside the store. You’ll figure out the safest ways to do tasks as you get familiar with the position, but until then, your risk of injury is inherently higher.

So if you are injured during your first shift or before you receive your first paycheck, don’t be ashamed and try to hide your injury from your boss. Report the injury to human resources or your manager and get an evaluation from a physician. If the injury results in medical expenses or time away from work, your next step should be to contact a workers’ compensation lawyer like Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm. We can help file a claim and get you the compensation you deserve so you can focus on healing and getting back to work.

Don’t be embarrassed about suffering an injury at a new job, because it happens to people each and every day. Put your health and your family first by reporting the injury and filing a claim. For help with any aspect of the claims process, reach out to Dean Margolis today at (952) 230-2700.