Construction jobs typically pay well, but one reason for the good pay is that the job does come with some risk. As a construction worker, you can take steps to try and make yourself as safe as possible, but things can still sometimes go wrong. If you are indeed injured in an accident at a construction site, do not panic. Remain calm and follow some commonsense principles to not just get treated quickly but to also protect yourself from a legal standpoint. Here are some tips to keep in mind following an accident on a construction site.

No Symptoms Does Not Mean No Injury

First, keep in mind that even if you are not seriously injured in the accident, get checked by a professional anyway. Your company may even require this once they find out about it. If you fail to get medical attention in a timely fashion, this could hurt your legal claim in court. What is worse is that sometimes an injury that actually is significant could take a few days or longer to start showing significant symptoms. Whiplash, for example, might not give you an immediate headache or pain in your neck, but you could feel it the next morning.

Make Sure Your Employer Knows as Soon as Possible

In many states, a construction worker is required to notify his or her company about an accident within a specific time period. Failure to notify could get you in trouble with your company or even cost you your job, and it will also hurt any future workers' compensation claim or legal case. Keep in mind that your company likely also has a requirement to report your accident to OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Your failure to report in a timely fashion to your employer could affect your employer's ability to report in a timely fashion to the government and then everyone, possibly including you, will be in hot water.

Identify What Happened and Who Saw It

At some point, you will have to piece together what went wrong. As soon as you can, write down the names of anyone else on the work site who might have seen what went wrong. Note if there are nearby businesses that might have security cams that could have captured footage of the accident. For best results when collecting evidence, contact a construction accident attorney who can help know what to do next.