The most important thing for employees to know is that any time you are injured on the job, you should report the injury immediately to a supervisor. Some states require that notice to the employer be made in writing, while others allow a verbal notice. However, to be safe, employees should report all on-the-job injuries to supervisory personnel in writing.
Other than a few exceptions, such as agricultural employees, domestic employees, and independent contractors, employers are required by law to have workers' compensation insurance. If your employer claims that they do not have workers' compensation insurance, contact an attorney as soon as possible or call your State's labor department or workers compensation office, which can found on our site's state government agencies page.
Your need for a lawyer depends on the complexity of your case. If you are not sure you understand any part of your case, be sure to contact a local workers' compensation lawyer. If you stand before an administrative or court judge you should hire a lawyer to represent you.
"[When employees are injured], these are costs that are borne by society as a whole. The worker suffers in terms of pain and medical bills and lost wages. Employers suffer lost productivity, retraining costs, hiring costs. "
–Alvin Chang + Aliya Uteuova | The Guardian
from AFL-CIO | America's Unions