Did you know that for every 100 full-time employees, 3.4 workers’ compensation claims are filed annually? Accidents can happen at any time, anywhere. Worker’s compensation claim is a state-based insurance system that gives the employees the right to charge the company for a work-related accident or occupational disease.
As an employer, you are legally bound to offer the plaintiff a compensation amount that covers the medical treatment, lost wages, rehabilitation, and suffering and pain. Having worker’s compensation insurance not only protects you from paying the benefits out of your pocket but also creates an excellent image of your organization. Note that the requirements for the worker’s compensation claim can vary from state to state.
Before we jump to our five-step guide on how to get worker’s compensation, remember that it is a complicated process as the employer and the employee have to work together to get the insurance benefits. Therefore, you will need to get help from workers’ compensation lawyers to increase your chances of getting fair compensation.
The Procedure for Getting the Worker’s Compensation
Notify the Insurer
In case of an accident in your workplace, the first thing that you need to do is take the injured employee to the nearest healthcare facility for medical assessment and treatment. As the employee is getting treated, you must contact the worker’s compensation insurance provider and inform them about the accident.
File the Incident Report
After you have notified the worker’s compensation insurer, you must submit the necessary documents to file the incident report officially. These documents include medical reports, claim forms, and a detailed report stating where the incident occurred, the time of the accident, how it happened, any other people involved, and the medical treatment the employee has received so far. It is also advised to support videos and pictures as evidence.
In addition to this, you must also provide your company name, account number, policy number, and location, and the employee’s details, which includes their full name, phone number, date of birth, age, gender, security number, and beneficiary.
File the Official Insurance Claim
Once the necessary documents and the written report are submitted, it is the responsibility of the organization’s HR department to file an official worker’s compensation claim on behalf of the injured employee. While according to the FECA (Federal Employees Compensation Act), the worker’s compensation claim must be filed within three years of the date of injury, the timeframe can vary depending on the rules and regulations of your state.
Coordinate with the Insurer’s Team During the Investigation
The worker’s compensation insurance company will hire a team of investigators to inspect the case and determine whether your claim is righteous or not. In order to make sure that everything goes according to plan, the HR department will conduct an interview with the key witness to the accident and advise them to coordinate with the insurer’s investigation team.
The insurer’s team will analyze all evidence and inspect the injured employee, the scene of the incident, eyewitnesses, people involved in the accident, and all documents that were submitted. This is a crucial step as it helps the insurer determine that your worker’s compensation claim is authentic, that no exaggerated or fake injuries have been reported, and that everything stated in the report is true.
Final Note
Whether an employee has lost a loved one because of a wrongful death caused in the workplace or suffered a work injury, you must file a worker’s compensation claim to compensate for the loss. While no amount of money can compensate for the pain and suffering that they have been through, filing a worker’s compensation claim will ensure that they get a fair compensatory amount.