“What happened?” was all I could think about after sustaining a severe injury at work. To this day, I still have a little trouble remembering what exactly happened, but I remember going to the one of our company’s construction sites to check on the progress of the building and speak with the crew. All I remember is that I secured the harness and climbed onto the scaffolding. The next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital bed.

When I woke up, the doctors told me that I had fallen from the platform and that I had suffered a severe head injury, broken a couple ribs and had bruising all over my body. It turns out that the scaffolding was defective.

I was in the hospital for a week, because doctors said I needed to stay for observation. For weeks, I was limited in my movement. I had intense pain all over my body and suffered from severe migraines. More worrying and frightening than the pain from broken bones and constant headache, was the memory lapses and troubles with cognitive function.

For days, I was in a dazed state. I was shocked, bewildered and angry – there must have been a million different emotions and thoughts running through my head. But, as hard as I tried, I couldn’t comprehend what happened. In the days following my accident, I tried to make sense of what happened. I wanted answers to all of my questions: “Why did this happen?” “Who is responsible?” Why did I have to be the one injured?” Why did this happen now, of all times?” What am I going to do and will I make a full recovery?”

But, more than anything, I wanted to be healthy and I wanted things to be normal again. I wanted to return to work and get back into the routine that I had been so accustomed to. I was frustrated that I couldn’t go to work, that I had to rely on others for help and that my cognitive function was impaired.

Despite pain and suffering, there was some light at the end of the tunnel. After working with an expert lawyer who specialises in injury at work claims, I was able to receive compensation. As with all companies, employers are responsible for providing as safe of a working environment as possible. Since the accident was caused by faulty equipment that should have been better supervised/regulated, I was not at fault.

After gathering all the paperwork, medical documents and months of litigation, I was able to receive a generous compensation for my misfortune. The process, albeit long and complicated, was well worth the time. The money I received covered all my medical expenses and the ongoing treatment and therapy I still undergo.

It has been almost a year since the accident, and physically, my body has recovered. There are no signs other than the scars from scrapes and sutures. However, I still suffer headaches frequently and have troubling remembering some things. Doctors say that these are just some of the many, extended side effects of a concussion and that I must keep up with therapy to help.

I am extremely grateful for my health and recovery. I know that my injuries could have been much worse and that I could have suffered from more severe brain damage. It is a reminder that life is short and that we should appreciate the friends, family and experiences that we do have, instead of complaining about what we don’t have.