Demanding Compensation Patiently

If there is one thing that I learned from my whole experience in demanding my work accident compensation, it is that good things cannot be had on short notice. Rather, they must be worked for, must be planned for, and most important, must be waited for.

Before my injurious accident, I was one of those who did things quickly, whatever it may be. Whether it was my laundry or my work or feeding my children or even having dinner with my husband, I always ensured that things got done quickly because that is how things should be done.

This is in no way an admission that I am hasty. I always study whatever it is that I want to do and then do it as quickly as possible. I don’t know, but maybe I got this attitude from watching too many military-themed movies. I’m a big fan too of military history. I think Bonaparte and Hitler, though they may have set wrong ends to pursue, were nevertheless blessed with formidable generals who knew that to strike means to strike quickly and without warning.

You could imagine my annoyance when my lawyer told me that days, sometimes even weeks, could be the intervals in the claiming process. For example, after sending a letter of accusation, we had to wait for a week for the reply. After that, we had to wait another week for a meeting with the defendant. Since my boss did not want to settle outside the courts, we had to bring our dispute to a judge’s attention and that required waiting for a month. And I won’t even mention the number of months the hearings lasted. Except maybe to point out that they too, were expectedly, far from each other. In other words, more waiting.

So I had to learn how to wait. My work accident compensation being no trifling figure, I thought that having started the claiming process, I may as well end it. And it did end and in my favor at that. Had it not, then I would have strangled my lawyer for making me undergo such a waiting process. That’s just not how things are supposed to be done.

Accidents at work: It’s temporary!

Accidents at work can be so shocking and most of all painful.

It shocking because in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, an injury prevents you from working, limits your movement, robs you of enjoying a social life and give you pain here and there. To add problems to that, financial burden weighs you down. Bills and expenses are piling up almost reaching the ceiling but oh no! not as high as the tree. Oh please! Bills keep coming, expenses keeps rolling and pocket is getting empty. Payment for hospitals bills, medical costs, treatments fees, travel expenses, additional expenses and other miscellaneous expenses that arise from time to time.

Going back to and from the hospital is not easy especially when it’s hard to hop into the car. Looking at yourself injured and helpless is unimaginable. Taking medicines which are bitter to taste gets bitter knowing that it’s quite expensive! Treatment gives hope. Thanks to the people who buy the groceries, run errands and takes care of all the chores at home. Such a big help!

Good thing the technology can be reliable. Just a click away you can talk to your loved ones and entertains you while you can’t leave the house. Mobile phones, Internet and movies, books and music entertain you everyday.

The excruciating pain plus the emotional distress seems hard to bear. Sometimes anxieties worry depression and fear comes because of the problems that seem so big. But thank God for the support of family, friends and relatives who encourages and give hope. Soon this ordeal will be over. Pain will walk away and the bills will be paid. Trying to think positively and excited to get back to work. The pain and suffering is temporary. There is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

Someday you will look back and smile after going through the hard times. Learn from the experience in the past. Stay positive and keep happy heart so that time and pain won’t rob you of the good things in life. Hang on it’s temporary.

Award for Injured Workers

How can a regular worker get through with the pain from an accident in the workplace? Will he suffer in silence while his body deteriorates? How can he pay his bills if he is injured and cannot work?

A retail staff suffered broken bones from falling from a table while arranging the stocks on top of the cabinet   He used the table and chair instead of using the ladder. At one point you can commend the staff for being resourceful or blame him for the wrong move. The truth is that the business owner did not provide a ladder that is why the guy substituted the chair and table. Sadly, he was pressed for time that is why he used an improvised ladder. This is a typical story of an employee who sustained injury at work. He deserves to receive injury compensation. 

The compensation can help him pay for his bills like medicines, hospitalization, treatment, utilities and even trips going to the GP. It cannot really recover what was lost but it can somehow lighten the burden he carries. Afterall, he was not supposed to suffer the pain if only the owner provided the needed equipment. The compensation not only reimburses the expenses but also the pain and suffering that he endured. Actually, the compensation is not enough to bring back what was loss. There is no monetary value that can ease the pain of being injured. It’s immeasurable. Not to mention the loss time of enjoyment with family and friends, Plus the social gatherings that are memorable to him.  What about the simple daily activities that cannot be carried out because of the injury and hobbies that cannot be enjoyed? How about the scar that tainted his appearance? On top of that is the emotional turmoil that plagues him day and night. Stress, insecurity and helplessness surround him every now and then. Truly physical injury hurts. Underlying that are more complex issues that he needs to deal with. Financial burden weights him down and emotional struggle seems to pull him down. He deserves to be compensated.

SPELL S I- M-P-L-E

It’s disappointing to know that accidents in the workplace are caused by a simple negligence that costs unnecessary pain to an innocent victim. Do you know why it is simple? Let’s take a look at the common situation that is neglected and ignored by people.

A workplace accident happens when one is too busy to care. Granted that a worker is busy fixing a defective equipment, but it is not an excuse for him to scatter all the tools and materials lying on the floor. What if another co-worker is also busy rushing to and fro to get his work done? The scattered tools and tangled cable obstructs the passage way. And the next thing you know is that someone slipped on the floor. The first “busy” worker should organise and keep away any obstruction so that no one gets hurt.

Another slipping and tripping incidence occurs when there is a spillage. Spilled water or any chemical flowing on the floor should be cleaned immediately. The one responsible for it should take action – immediately! If he cannot do it, he should inform the maintenance staff to clean up. Immediate action is needed because someone may get hurt. This same goes with an uneven surface or pot holes that should be repaired.

A retail staff may be in hurry and puts the boxes on top of another without thinking that it might fall and hurt a colleague. True enough, just after he left the area, another staff became the victim of that negligence. The staff mentioned earlier could have been more considerate and fix the boxes properly so that an accident like that can be prevented.

Did you know that over-confidence can hurt? A worker who taught that a table and chair would be enough to reach an item would turn out to be a disaster. The table and chair used are not good enough to stand his weight that it collapsed and injured his legs.

It’s a simple act and a common sense. Workers needs to think twice before carrying out any task and ask – “What will happen if I do this…or not?”

A Trusted Attorney

A man who works in a manufacturing industry was exposed to a dangerous chemical and suffered burns. He is recuperating from the injury he sustained from the plant. A construction worker fell from the scaffolding whilst doing his task. His arm and legs are on a cask. Another worker who was assigned in the food service industry slipped due to the spilled water flowing in the hallway. All of them have one common denominator – injury.

You will be sympathetic whenever you learn about the plight of these hardworking people who ended up being injured. So sad that they have to suffer the pain caused by other’s mistakes. The man working in a manufacturing company should have been provided with protective clothing to shield him from the harmful chemical. A glove, mask, clothes or shoes should be supplied by his employer. Or he could have refused to do that task if he was informed that the job is dangerous.  The construction worker would not fell off from the scaffolding if it is not defective. The building owner should have provided a stable equipment to protect their workers. All businesses including the food service industry should ensure the safety of their workers. The one working in the food service industry should be protected with safety shoes or the supervisor should maintain cleanliness in the area so that no one will slip on wet floors. These people suffered injuries because of their colleague or their employer.

They cry for justice. Their patience is running out as they endure the pain. Their pockets are empty because of paying for the hospitalization, medicines, treatment and other expenses that comes out like buying aids and equipment for their recovery.

All of them are looking for qualified compensation solicitors who will speak for them and bring a claim for their injuries. They want a solicitor who can be trusted, sympathetic and intelligent in negotiating with the concerned parties. As ordinary people who have limited knowledge about the law, they want a person who can clearly explain to them about personal injury claims and the compensation that can be granted to them.

An Injured Man of the House

What are the struggles of an employee who experience an accident at work? It is hard to describe or even cannot be counted. It’s like counting the clouds or the pebbles on the shore.

An accident at work weakens an employee not just physically but also emotionally, psychologically and financially. Broken, bruised and hurt – a sad description that can be painted from the face of an injured worker who just want to work and provide for his family. His injuries prevent him from working. As a man of the house and breadwinner in the family, it’s painful for him to see himself stuck in a situation he cannot escape but just accept the situation that temporarily he cannot work. Yes, it’s temporarily. But the temporary situation seems to be eternal because the injury is so painful. No one seems to know and understand the depth of pain brought by the fracture that limits his movement. The nagging pain in the wee hours of the morning wakes him up. Tossing and turning to find the best way to sleep. It seems hard to see himself being fed and taken care of his family while he recalls the previous week that he was strong as a horse working from dusk til dawn. And now, he depends on the assistance of his family who provides support for him to get through the day. He exclaims in disbelief - “This is not happening!” Is it pride or just in denial? Quite unbelievable, but the man of the house feels the pang of this ordeal. The hours seems to be like days, the days seems to be weeks and the months seems to be years. Little by little, he steps into recovery. Day by day he looks forward to the day he could stand up straight again and get back to his normal life. He looks at the light at the end of the tunnel. Hoping…wishing…and…believing that the God of mercy will restore what was lost. He shall face another day with great hope knowing that life must go on.