Every year there are thousands of accidents at different business properties all around the country. Business owners would love if this problem could be completely eradicated because overall it costs millions in legal damages. However, it’s fair to say that accidents through the eyes of the business owner are substantially different compared to the experience of the employee.
To explain this, we need to look at cause and blame behind work related accidents. It is important for business owners to realise that typically they will be held accountable for an accident. This will be the case unless it can be shown that the accident was directly caused by the actions of the employee. However, even in this case, an employee could argue they weren’t given enough training or that they weren’t provided with the right safety gear. So, even if the employee makes a mistake, the owner could still be accountable.
Some business owners may think that employees intentionally injure themselves at work for a payout. While this does happen, research shows it’s a lot rarer than most people believe. Business owners must understand that while a payout can be substantial in most cases, it doesn’t cover the full amount of lost wages. However, if business owners do want to avoid even the possibility of a worker faking an injury they must treat them with respect and ensure they feel appreciated. They should also have security systems to record any accident taking place.
Protecting Your Business And Yourself
There are a few ways to protect yourself and your business from the cost of a personal injury claim. It is strongly recommended that any business owner has a workers compensation coverage plan in place as soon as the doors of their business open. Sites such as https://completemarkets.com/workers-compensation-insurance/Storefronts have full information about this, what it entails and why it’s important. But, essentially by having workers compensation, you can stop employees being able to file a lawsuit against your business. This doesn’t necessarily mean you are fully protected in the event of an injury, but it should certainly lessen the blow.
On top of this, you may want to think about providing as much training as possible to your employees. If you do face an accidental injury claim, showing that employees had the highest level of training will act in your favour. It demonstrates that you did everything you could to prevent the possibility of an injury.
Taking The Right Action
Finally, it is important that in the event of an injury the right steps are taken. You should begin by recording the injury in your official logbook as well as taking extensive pictures of the environment where the injury occurred. You can find out how to properly document an incident on http://www.hrdirect.com/hr-101/how-to-document-workplace-accidents-and-injuries.
You may want to advise the employee to see a medical professional and ensure they get the right treatment for any injuries. Once you have done this, inform your legal advisor what has happened and they will instruct you on the right steps to take. Do not try and exert blame on the employee or yourself as this will lead to further issues. You may want to read more about your liability in the event of an accident on https://direct2compensation.com/articles.
