by Karen Murphy, MostChoice.com You know whether or not you are required to carry worker's compensation insurance. You know how much you need to carry. But, do you know what to do when one of your employees is hurt on the job? From the moment an on-the-job injury happens, your response to that injury will play a crucial part in a process that could lead to litigation. Thus, the actions you take, or fail to take, can prove critical to your financial future. Doing the right things, and documenting that you have done so, may be the most effective insurance you can get. To begin with, if one of your employees is injured, you should always treat it as legitimate -- even if you have suspicions about the circumstances surrounding the injury. Because worker's compensation laws may not completely insulate you from being sued, a quick, helpful response could keep you out of court. The following measures will help ensure that you are taking necessary precautions and dealing with the injury in a thorough and careful manner: - Respond to the injured employee �provide assistance, get the facts from the employee about the accident, and tell the employee that there is a system available that will take care of the injuries.
- Give first aid or get medical attention and accompany the employee to the medical provider
- Report the incident within the company
- Notify the family
- Document the accident � write down what happened within 24 hours of the accident.
- Designate who will stay in touch with the family
- Ensure prompt medical treatment � follow up with the medical care provider after getting permission from the employee to do so.
- Work with the employee to file an accident report with the appropriate worker's compensation agency in your state. Your state has its own laws that determine the time period within which reports must be filed.
- Determine, on a preliminary basis, whether the injury is covered by workers' compensation
- Counsel employee and/or family on claims procedures, available benefits, company's continuing interest in employee's welfare, etc.
- After the first week � coordinate payment of initial benefits, talk to treating physician to learn diagnosis and treatment plan, evaluate whether medical rehabilitation is necessary or appropriate, develop return-to-work plan, forward mail, contact the injured employee and/or the family
- After the first month � Send cards, phone calls, visits to reinforce company's concern, consider medical examination by independent physician, if warranted, reevaluate treatment plan based on new medical information, update return-to-work plan, contact the injured employee and/or the family
- On an ongoing basis � continually reevaluate treatment plan, update return-to-work plan, refer for vocational rehabilitation, refer for pain management evaluation of chronic pain, if appropriate, maintain contact with the injured employee and/or the family.
If you have concerns over whether or not an injury is work-related or whether a claim is fraudulent, you may want to make your own investigation. Ultimately, the worker's comp agency or the insurance company will make the final determination, however, your input could help to clarify the matter. Get a Free Quote |
