Since you never know when you will have an on-the-job accident, you need to be prepared. What you do before you have an accident and how you respond afterward affects how likely it is that you'll have a claim approved. Here are some tips to give you the best chance of submitting an uncontested compensation claim.

1. Show that you take injuries seriously by reporting every accident.

Make sure you report all accidents to your supervisor, no matter how minor and even if there were no injuries. This goes on your permanent employee record and shows that you take on-the-job injuries seriously. If you file a compensation claim but have a record of not reporting other injuries, the insurance reviewers will wonder why you are selective about the accidents you do report. This can be enough to reject your claim.

2. When a major accident happens, get help with preparing the paperwork.

Even a tiny mistake in the complicated workers compensation claim process can get your claim denied. Hire a workers compensation lawyer to make sure the initial application is prepared and submitted correctly.

3. Collect contact information from everyone at or near the accident.

The reviewers will interview people about the accident, so the more eyes and ears that you can provide, the better. Without witnesses, it's just your word about the accident, which is likely not enough to get your claim approved. Remember that the person around the corner from where the accident occurred may not have seen the accident, but they may have heard something important. Get names and phone numbers from anyone you can find around the area.

4. See a medical practitioner to have any injuries examined.

Have any injuries looked at as soon as you can after the accident. Make sure you have a statement from a medical professional, such as a doctor, nurse or your health services officer, as to the nature of your injury. Comply with any treatments recommended. If you don't, the workers comp review panel will question how serious the injury was since you weren't examined or treated.

5. Get coaching from your attorney before speaking with the reviewers.

It's important that you communicate clearly about the accident and that the details match what is in your records. Any discrepancies will cause the review panel to deny, or at least delay, your compensation application. Your lawyer will explain what information should be shared and how to do it clearly. They will also help your testimony to be consistent with the doctor's notes and your medical records.

For more information, contact a company like Gilbert, Blaszcyk & Milburn LLP.