Injured at work
What to do if you're injured at work
The first steps, for any work injury
Emergency? Call 911- 1If anyone is badly hurt, call 911. Don't wait to ask permission.
- 2Get first aid and medical care, and tell the clinician the injury happened at work.
- 3Tell your supervisor as soon as you can and report the injury in writing. Keep a copy.
- 4Write down what happened, when, where and who saw it. Take photos if it's safe.
- 5Ask who handles workers' comp claims and which doctor or clinic you should see first.
- 6Keep every paper, bill, prescription receipt and message together in one place.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Get medical care
Tell the clinician it's a work injury. Ask your employer which provider to see first — the rules vary by state.
Workers' comp doctors →Get your prescriptions
Ask the pharmacy and adjuster how work-injury prescriptions are handled. Many can be delivered to your home.
Prescription home delivery →Know when to get advice
People often talk to an attorney when a claim is denied, delayed or disputed, or the injury is serious.
Workers' comp attorneys →Find your situation
What happened?
Pick the situation closest to yours for what to do right now, how reporting generally works, medical care, and when people often talk to an attorney.
Falls, slips & trips
- Fell off a ladder at work
- Fell from scaffolding
- Fell off a roof at work
- Slipped on a wet floor at work
- Slipped on ice in the work parking lot
- Tripped over cords at the office
- Fell down the stairs at work
- Fell off a loading dock
- Fell getting out of my truck or trailer
- Fell through a floor opening or skylight
- Concussion from a fall at work
- Twisted my ankle at work
- Fell from a scissor lift or aerial lift
- Tripped on uneven ground at a job site
- Fell off a step stool stocking shelves
Struck by, caught in & crushed
- Forklift ran over my foot
- Hit by a forklift at work
- Hit by a falling object at work
- Warehouse shelving fell on me
- Crushed my finger in machinery
- Hand caught in a conveyor belt
- Caught in a trench collapse
- Pinned between a truck and a loading dock
- Hit by a car while working on the road
- Hit by a swinging load or crane
- Hand slammed in a door or tailgate
- Injured by a pallet jack
- Hit in the head by a tool dropped from above
- Tractor rollover on the farm
- Lost a finger in a machine at work
- Vehicle fell off a lift in the auto shop
- Hit by falling rock in a mine
- Forklift tipped over with me on it
Lifting, strain & overexertion
- Hurt my back lifting at work
- Back injury from a patient transfer
- Herniated disc from work
- Hernia from lifting at work
- Torn shoulder from overhead work
- Pulled a muscle at work
- Strained my neck lifting at work
- Knee injury from kneeling at work
- Tore my meniscus at work
- Hurt my shoulder pushing or pulling a heavy cart
- Back injury unloading a truck
- Warehouse picker injury
- Elbow pain from using tools all day
- Injured moving furniture or heavy beds at a hotel
- Hurt lifting or restraining a student
- Back injury helping a client at home
- Ruptured my bicep lifting at work
- Injured handling baggage on the airport ramp
Repetitive strain & wear and tear
- Repetitive strain from typing
- Carpal tunnel from work
- Trigger finger from gripping tools
- Back pain from years of driving a truck
- Neck pain from desk work
- Shoulder pain from repetitive reaching
- Numb hands from vibrating tools
- Foot pain from standing all day at work
- Knees worn out from years of physical work
- Tendonitis from assembly line work
- Wrist and shoulder pain from scanning at a register
- Back pain from cleaning work
Vehicles & driving for work
Burns, chemicals & electrical
Cuts, punctures & machinery
Violence, assaults & bites
Heat, cold & noise
Exposures & occupational illness
Mental health after a workplace incident
Claim problems & special situations
- Chronic pain after a work injury
- Re-injured an old injury at work
- Hurt in my first weeks at a new job
- Hurt while working from home
- Injured on a break at work
- Injured as a temp or staffing-agency worker
- Fired or punished after reporting a work injury
- Workers' comp claim denied after an injury
- Told there's no light duty for me
- Can't go back to my old job after an injury
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Frequently asked questions
What should I do right after I get hurt at work?
If it's an emergency, call 911. Otherwise get first aid or medical care, tell your supervisor, and report the injury in writing as soon as you can. Then write down what happened and who saw it, and keep copies of everything.
How long do I have to report a work injury?
It depends on your state. Deadlines to report an injury and to file a claim vary by state, so report it in writing as soon as possible and check with your state's workers' compensation agency.
Does workers' comp pay for my doctor and prescriptions?
Workers' compensation may cover medical care and prescriptions for a job-related injury, depending on your state and your situation. Ask your employer or the claims adjuster how bills and prescriptions are handled.
Can I choose my own doctor after a work injury?
Sometimes. Some states and employers require you to start with an approved provider, and others let you choose. Ask your employer or the adjuster — and in an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
When should I talk to a workers' comp attorney?
People often consult one when a claim is denied or delayed, when an injury is serious or permanent, when they're treated differently after reporting, or when they're offered a settlement. Many offer a free first consultation.
Is Prescriptions.plus a law firm or insurance company?
No. Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a law firm, medical provider, pharmacy, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is legal or medical advice.
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).