The early days can make or break a claim, especially when evidence involves machinery conditions, safety procedures, and maintenance history.
1) Get medical care and make sure it’s documented Even if symptoms seem manageable at first, crush injuries can involve internal damage, nerve issues, fractures, or delayed complications. Tell providers exactly what happened and keep copies of visit notes.
2) Request the incident record through your employer Ask for the written incident report number (if one exists), and request copies of any first report of injury paperwork. Wisconsin employers typically handle workplace injury documentation, but injured people are often left without copies.
3) Preserve what you can—before it disappears If possible (and safe): take photos of the area, the equipment involved, and any visible guardrails, safety barriers, labels, or lockout/tagout status. If you can’t photograph, write down details while they’re fresh: what machine, what task, what step was being performed, who was present.
4) Be careful with statements Insurers and employers may ask for recorded statements. A rushed explanation can be interpreted as minimizing the injury or shifting blame. In Wisconsin, clarity matters—don’t guess about causes or future limitations.


