If you suffer an occupational injury, there are two important things to remember:
The first thing you should do if you suffer an occupational injury is to secure evidence of the injury and the course of events.
The second is that you must ensure that the injury is reported correctly to the insurance company and NAV. ALWAYS seek immediate medical attention in the event of an occupational injury.
In a compensation case, one of the most important pieces of evidence is the medical records from the first admission or doctor's visit. In serious accidents, this is not normally a problem – it is with minor injuries that this is most often challenging. Typically, we see that the injured person has gritted their teeth, kept calm and hoped that it will pass.
Our clear advice is that if you are injured at work, even if it is minor, you should see a doctor. It is also important that you explain to the doctor that you have been injured at work. This is because, in the case of occupational injuries, you have greater rights than otherwise to, among other things, have your treatment and medical assistance covered.
1. Document the accident
Not all injuries that occur at work are considered occupational accidents in the legal sense. There must be a certain element of accident. Typical injuries that are not covered include back pain caused by lifting. However, if the load is particularly heavy, you trip, lose your grip or something else happens, you are still covered.
It is therefore important that you document what happened, and not least that something happened. If there were no witnesses present, report it immediately to your supervisor, preferably in writing.
2. Report the occupational injury to the insurance company and NAV
All employees are covered by statutory occupational injury insurance, which entitles you to compensation if you suffer personal injury in an accident at work.
In addition, the National Insurance Act entitles you to additional benefits and rights following approved occupational injuries. Both NAV and the insurance company have deadlines for reporting the injury – as a rule, there is a one-year reporting deadline. There are exceptions to the one-year deadline, but it is not recommended to rely on this.
Make sure that your employer reports the injury to both the insurance company and NAV. As mentioned above, not all incidents and injuries meet the requirements for a work-related accident. It is therefore very important how this injury report describes the accident, and it is these initial descriptions that form the basis for all subsequent processing. Subsequent descriptions and explanations are not given much weight if there is any doubt about the circumstances of the accident and the injury.
What should I do after the acute phase?
Make sure you obtain documentation from your doctor and therapists regarding your symptoms if you do not recover. These subsequent medical records are particularly important in cases of neck and back pain, where X-rays or MRIs rarely reveal any objective findings. Documentation of so-called "brother symptoms" is extremely valuable in establishing that the symptoms you are experiencing, for example two years after an accident at work, are in fact caused by that accident.
Also make sure that NAV has approved the occupational injury and that you receive a decision on approved occupational injury – then you will receive treatment free of charge. In addition, make sure that you receive work assessment allowance calculated in accordance with the rules on occupational injury.
In the event of permanent injury, you may also be entitled to compensation from NAV. The insurance company shall compensate for lost income during this phase.