If your employer hasn’t taken the precaution of introducing social distancing and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, then you could potentially become infected. While for most people COVID-19 is a very mild illness, for some it can be very serious. If you’ve fallen ill because your employer hasn’t introduced safety measures, then you could be entitled to compensation.

For people who aren’t familiar with personal injury cases, compensation claims can be very confusing. In this article, you will find a guide on how to get compensated if your employer’s negligence leads to you falling sick:

Take a Test

The first thing that you’ll want to do if you suspect that you’ve got COVID-19 is to take a test. If you test positive, then you will receive an online certificate confirming that you do have the illness. You will also be expected to self-isolate. It’s very important that you take a test so that you can prove later down the line that you had the illness when you said that you did. An antigen test taken at home won’t suffice, because unfortunately they can be faked.

Prove Negligence

You’ll also need to be able to prove that your employer hasn’t introduced safety measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. If you’re self-isolating at home, then you could ask your colleagues to send you videos or photographs of your workplace. To save yourself the trouble of having to hunt down evidence after you become ill, document your employer’s negligence as soon as you notice it. Even if you don’t get sick, you may still be able to take legal action against your employer for not introducing COVID-19 safety measures. Proving your employer’s negligence is a very important part of getting compensated.

Acquire Evidence

As well as proving your employer’s negligence, you will also want to acquire evidence of a COVID-19 outbreak in your office. Most employers will send out mass emails informing their staff of COVID-19 outbreaks, recommending that they get tested. You can simply save this email, screenshot it, or forward it to yourself or your attorney. By proving that an outbreak has occurred in your office, you will add a lot of weight to your case. By demonstrating that an outbreak occurred in your workplace while you were at work, you increase your chances of receiving compensation.


Contact an Attorney

If you believe that your employer’s negligence resulted in you contracting COVID-19, then you need to contact an attorney. Seeking legal advice is a crucial part of the compensation process. They will explain workers’ compensation for COVID-19 to you and if you want to proceed, fight for what you’re owed. There are lots of attorneys who specialise in workers’ compensation, so it’s important that you do your research and find the one who’s the most qualified. You can find a directory of practising attorneys online. You can also ask around in your local community for referrals.

Self-Isolate

It’s very important that you adhere to government guidance and self-isolate after you test positive for COVID-19. If you don’t then you could get into a lot of trouble. You can still contact an attorney online and speak to them through Skype or Zoom. During your time in self-isolation, you should be entitled to statutory sick pay. If you end up suffering from long-COVID, then you may be able to claim disability benefits. Make sure that you take as long as you need. COVID is a serious illness that can have very nasty long-term effects. If you rush back to work, you might wind up sick again.

Relax

During your time off and afterwards, you need to relax. You need to relax not only for your health but also so your attorney can get to work. If you try to micromanage every element of your case, your attorney may struggle to represent you. Provide them with all of the evidence that we suggested you acquire, as well as any other important information. Your attorney will phone you on a regular basis and keep you updated with your case’s progress. If there’s anything that you need to know, they’ll tell you.

Witnesses

One last point: If you have any colleagues who would be willing to come forward and talk openly about your employer’s negligence, then pass their names onto your lawyer. Witnesses strengthen your case and increase your chances of receiving compensation. Make sure that they’re honest and don’t exaggerate, however.

If you’ve fallen sick with COVID-19 and you believe that your employer is responsible, then it’s important that you make a compensation claim. If you follow the suggestions in this article, then you shouldn’t have any difficulty getting compensation.

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