Workers’ compensation is designed to protect an employee in the event that they are injured on the job, but that doesn’t mean the process will automatically be triggered in the event you report an injury to Human Resources. Similarly, are you required to terminate your wage loss benefits when you return to work, or will payments simply end as needed once you’re back at work? We take a closer look at the process of starting and ending a workers’ compensation claim in today’s blog.
Starting A Workers’ Compensation Claim
The insurance company may be required to pay you for expenses and lost wages you’ve incurred as a result of your work injury, but they aren’t going to hold your hand and automate the process for you. There are a number of things you are going to need to do in order to get the ball rolling on your workers’ compensation claim. You’re going to need to:
- Report your injury to your boss, manager, HR or company representative.
- Undergo an examination by a medical professional.
- Have a documented and legitimate injury that meets the criteria for compensation.
- File a workers’ compensation claim with your employer’s insurance company.
In other words, you’ll need to inform your employer of your job-related injury, connect with a doctor who can verify the legitimacy of compensable injuries related to your employment, and file a claim with the insurance company. Absent any of those steps, and there’s no reason to expect to receive a workers’ compensation check in the mail.
The simplest way to begin a workers’ compensation claim is by connecting with a workers’ compensation lawyer. You’ll still need to inform your employer, but your lawyer can guide you through the process of connecting with a physician and getting a verified independent medical report. From there, your lawyer can use this information and the knowledge of the workers’ compensation system to file a claim with your employer’s insurance company to get you the compensation you deserve. Payments typically begin a week or two after a claim has been verified and approved by the insurance company.
Ending A Workers’ Compensation Claim
Many people also wonder if there is anything they need to do to end their claim once they’ve reached maximum medical improvement or returned to work in a full capacity. It’s helpful to inform your lawyer of you intent to return to work in a full capacity, but typically there is nothing you need to do in order to bring an end to your workers’ compensation claim if you eventually make a full recovery and return to work in a pre-injury capacity.
Because payments typically begin 2-3 weeks or later after you’ve first missed time from work, the insurance company has a little buffer to make payments for missed time. They’ll regularly check in on your status or monitor your health status through your doctor’s reports. If they get word from your company or your doctor that you have returned to work, they will issue you a NOID, which stands for Notice of Intention to Discontinue benefits. This notice will explain when and why your wage loss benefits will be terminated. You may still receive benefits even after you’ve returned to work because of this buffer period that exists, but the NOID will spell out exactly when you can expect your last payment.
The insurance company is required to send out a NOID if they plan to discontinue benefits, so your benefits should never stop unexpectedly. There’s nothing you need to do to trigger this stoppage, but if you receive a NOID and believe your benefits are set to end prematurely, you need to reach out to your lawyer right away. Regardless of whether the NOID was sent in error, rooted in a contrary opinion or sent legitimately, your lawyer will need to look into it to ensure your benefits aren’t being stopped early.
There’s plenty you need to do to start a workers’ compensation claim, but there’s really nothing you need to do to bring wage loss benefits to a close as long as you agree that you’ve met the requirements for ceasing payments. Any disagreements or confusion should be brought up to your lawyer.
For more information or for assistance starting a workers’ compensation claim, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
