I'm going to tell you a story about my father. My father worked in the engineering industry for nearly twenty years. He was a hard worker and always did his best to maintain a strong level of efficiency. On a daily basis, he had to work with heavy, loud machinery and he was employed by one of the major oil companies. He was never provided with proper protection for his ears, and before he left work he developed a condition called tinnitus. If you don't know what that is, it's usually understood as an annoying constant ringing in the ear. But, it is actually the beginning of losing your hearing completely. My father never asked for compensation because a) he didn't realise how serious it was and b) he doesn't believe in getting something for free.
Now, let's skip forward to last year. My friend was walking along the street when suddenly he slipped on ice. The ice had not been gritted, and he suffered a painful back injury . He was unable to work for nearly four weeks. He claimed compensation from the street owner and won a huge settlement.
Who do you think made the right choice, my dad or my friend? You might argue that my father took the Christian approach by forgiving and allowing bygones to be bygones. But then the bible also claims "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Really this is a matter of fairness. If you have been injured due to someone else's negligence it is only fair you receive compensation. Particularly, if you suffer a long-term injury, or you find yourself unable to work. If you find yourself in this position here is what you must do.
First, you should seek out medical attention. You should do this no matter how bad you believe the injury to have been. It is not always clear how serious an injury is so it is important to get the opinion of a medical professional. If the injury was not severe and will have no lasting effects, you may want to let it go.
After your injuries have been checked, it might be appropriate to take further action. You should speak to any witnesses that saw the incident as well as taking photographs on your phone of the scene. Once you have done this, you should contact a personal injury law firm . They will be able to help you plan a course of action.
Usually, they will speak to a legal representative of the person who owns the property where the accident occurred. This is often dealt with quickly and quietly, and it's possible you won't even need to be present. Then, a settlement should be reached and both lawyers will agree on a fair amount of compensation.
If this is not possible, the case will go to court, and it does get a little trickier. Often people feel guilty about taking such an action forward. I know my father certainly wouldn't go down this route. But you must remember that the injury may have seriously affected your life. If it has you are entitled to claim compensation from the person primarily responsible. Believe it or not, that is the Christian approach, as written in the old testament.
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