Without a picture, we are oftentimes left to what people remember. And, as good as we think our memories might be, it is a well-established fact that people choose to remember very different details about events even when two people witness the same event. As time passes, specific details can be lost or altered, completely changing the real facts.

When taking pictures of workplace injury sites, consider the following:

• Start with a big picture of the injury site.
• Take pictures from different angles of the injury site.
• If there is a hazard that you think contributed to the injury, take pictures of it and be sure to note where it is in relationship to the injury site (distance in feet, inches, etc.).
• If there is a stairway, take pictures from both directions and note which way the employee was walking when injured – be sure to capture any hazards, handrails and so on.
• If there is an uneven surface, take a picture from above and then pictures at the same level as the uneven surface (measure the uneven surface in inches).
• If it helps to have a subject in the picture to provide perspective, ask a co-employee to stand in the picture.

Please be sure to note the time and date when you took the pictures. The closer to the time of injury, the better. If the weather conditions have changed between the time of the injury and when you take the pictures, please indicate this.

If you have questions on any specific claim as to what types of pictures you should take, please contact Gary Westman, WC Claims Manager, at (651) 201-3030 or at gary.westman@state.mn.us