Question of the Week
JULY 30, 2025
QUESTION

One of our employees cut their hand on the edge of a broken filing cabinet at work. We asked if they wanted medical treatment, but they declined. Should we still have them fill out an accident report?

ANSWER

Yes, even if the employee declines professional medical treatment, it’s important to document the incident and keep it on file.

Having a habit of documenting issues (from safety to harassment to performance) is key to getting them solved. In this case, the broken filing cabinet poses a hazard and should be repaired or replaced promptly before anyone else is injured by it. A paper trail will (hopefully) create accountability and make that more likely to happen.

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This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.