When employees are injured at work, promptly reporting accidents to your workers compensation carrier is imperative. Even if you don’t think an incident occurred as claimed, it’s critical to involve your insurer immediately. Delays in reporting can mean the insurer loses the ability to manage medical treatment. Employees who seek their own treatment might not receive the best care for their type of injury. Late reports can hurt employee confidence, making workers more likely to hire an attorney.
Late reporting may happen when supervisors “can’t find the paperwork.” Train your supervisors in the importance of prompt reporting. Supervisors who can’t locate the paperwork should call the insurance company directly and provide the employee’s contact information to get the claim contact rolling. The sooner the adjuster contacts the employee, the more quickly the insurer can manage the medical care and determine if the injury is work-related.
Never delay. Report all injuries the same day.
