Speaking up when you get hurt on the job serves multiple purposes. Reporting your injury to your employer means that they will have an internal report about the incident, which can play a role in your workers’ compensation claim.
Timely reporting is necessary for you to get benefits, and it can also help preserve evidence to strengthen your claim. When your employer knows that security camera footage on their premises captured an on-the-job injury, they should review and preserve that footage as evidence in your case.
How security camera footage helps
Some workers may worry that the review of camera footage might show that they were at fault for their injury. The good news is that unless the situation looks like they intentionally hurt themselves, the footage won’t prevent them from claiming benefits. Fault isn’t a factor in most workers’ compensation claims.
If anything, security camera footage is beneficial for the worker because it conclusively shows that they got hurt at work. Without clear evidence like security camera footage or co-worker witness statements, employees may have to undergo an extensive medical evaluation to prove that their condition relates to their employment. California has rules in place to help ensure that workers who require help getting benefits receive a neutral and professional medical evaluation.
Of course, being able to get benefits without spending time proving that you got hurt at work will mean a faster claim and less stress for you during your recovery. Learning the rules that govern workers’ compensation claims will help those who need medical care or time off of work because of an injury.