How you respond in the days immediately following a workplace injury is extremely important for claim management and preventing future incidents. Workers’ compensation laws are often misunderstood because they can vary significantly between states. If your employee reports an injury and you are unsure of what steps to take, you are not alone.
Don’t hesitate, respond immediately
Regardless of your company’s geographical location, the first two days after an employee gets injured on the job are always the most important. It is important to act immediately for legal reasons, but studies also show that the faster you initiate the workers’ compensation claims process following an injury, the lower the ultimate cost of that claim. Additionally, waiting more than 48 hours after an incident occurs gives the injured party and witnesses time to forget crucial details about what happened. It also means employees’ recollections may become skewed due to opinions of outside parties, such as an attorney, or from speaking with family and friends.
You can help protect your employee and your company by taking the following steps in the 48 hours after an employee reports an injury.
Refer employee for medical attention: If the injury is an emergency, seek immediate care for the employee. All state workers’ compensation laws allow the employee to see any doctor in an urgent situation. If the circumstance is not an emergency, refer the employee to a medical provider within your company’s network. Never prevent an employee from getting medical attention, even if you feel the injury is not serious.
Report the injury: According to the Department of Labor, several reports must be generated when an injury occurs in the workplace. Complete a First Report of Injury or Occupational Disease form as required by your state workers’ compensation law. The incident should also be thoroughly reported to your Human Resources department, the employee’s direct supervisor, and the medical provider who will see and treat the employee. Report the incident objectively to your workers’ compensation carrier’s claims department—do not skew information gathered from the scene or from witnesses in any way, even if your preliminary instincts tell you the claim is not legitimate. This is also a crucial step to complete quickly because your insurance provider could give you valuable information about medical care, make timely payments as well as begin their own investigation into the incident as necessary.
Perform an assessment or accident investigation: Visit the place where the injury occurred and make notes on the surrounding environment. Speak with employees who witnessed the event or who work in close proximity to where the incident occurred. Be thorough, and also be sure to gather consistent information for all incidents. It’s important to begin your investigation within the first 48 hours so that details of the accident or injury are fresh in the minds of employees.
Reduce the likelihood of recurrence: After investigating the site, take the necessary steps to make certain the incident will not occur again. For example, block off the area in question if there looks to be a spill or other unsafe situation. In a timely manner, take necessary steps to mitigate the risk and reduce the chances of a similar incident occurring in the future.
Inform employee about company policies and returning to work: Not only is it crucial to review work restrictions and employee leave procedures, but it is also imperative that you inform the employee about the possibility of transitional-duty jobs that would suit their needs during the injury recovery period.
Stay in communication with your work comp carrier: Finally, in addition to these points, make sure you remain in contact with your claims team. The claims team will help you manage the occupational injury or illness efficiently and ultimately reduce its overall impact on your business operations.
