Workers’ Compensation 101For Employers:

WHAT TO DO WHEN AN EMPLOYEE REPORTS A CLAIM

I. Educate Employees on Reporting Injuries

•Give immediate notice regardless of how minor they believe the injury to be

•Report the injury to the proper supervisor

•Be aware that the employer will provide medical attention if needed upon the reporting of an injury

• Immediately report the claim to insurance carrier

II. Investigate the Facts of the Accident

• Investigate immediately regardless of how minor the injury appears

•Get a statement from the employee asking what happened, how it happened, who witnessed the accident, what injuries he/she sustained

•Get statements from all witnesses

•Keep a separate Workers’ Compensation file

III. Offer a Proper Panel of Physicians to the Employee

• Have a written panel of physicians on file to hand to the employee for choosing a treating physician

• Do not rely on mere posting of a panel

• Require the employee to choose from the panel and document that choice on the face of the panel list

• Make sure the panel of physicians has a minimum of three facilities/physicians not in the same group

• The panel can have as many providers as you want

• Timing with regard to the offer of the panel is everything

IV.Follow the Claim

•Communicate with the adjuster

•Provide all pertinent information to the adjuster to help him/her further investigate and handle the claim

•Cooperate fully with defense counsel if case goes to litigation