When an injury happens in the workplace, it can be a stressful situation for everyone involved. The injured worker may need medical attention and time off to recover, so it’s vital for the employee and employer to communicate openly and effectively as soon as the incident happens. To ensure that your employees get the care they need, the claim needs to be filed promptly. If you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of workers’ comp in Colorado, here’s why it’s so crucial to have a prompt injury reporting policy in the workplace:
Ensure employees get the benefits they need
To be eligible for the full amount of benefits, a claim must be submitted by an injured worker within four working days of the accident. While it’s still possible to receive workers’ comp benefits if this window of opportunity is missed, the employee may be subject to late penalties. When you hire a new employee, we recommend training them to report injuries quickly. When each member of the team is aware of the time-sensitive nature of submitting claims, the process should be simple to navigate.
As soon as the injured worker submits his or her written notice of the accident, the employer should complete a First Report of Injury Form. The employer must complete this form within ten days of the incident, or their employee may not get benefits and the employer may be penalized.
What to do after reporting the injury
If you’re an employer, you may be curious about the next steps once you’ve reported the workplace injury. While some business owners consider the process to be complete as soon as they have submitted a claim, it’s best to document the occurrence for your records. By taking this additional step, you can look for ways to improve workplace safety processes in the future. In addition to thoroughly describing and documenting the incident, make it a priority to stay in touch with the injured employee and your claims representative. When everyone’s on the same page and communicating, it makes for a much smoother process.
Navigating workers’ comp rules and regulations doesn’t have to be a challenge. When you work with an experienced insurance team, you’ll be relieved to find that the claims process is easy to follow. Are you ready to find a dedicated workers’ comp insurance provider? Pinnacol Assurance is here to help. Independent agents are happy to speak with you and help you select the ideal plan for your needs. When you’re covered with us, you’ll enjoy a claims process that’s 12% faster than the competition. To get started, please reach out to a Pinnacol preferred agent.
Pinnacol Assurance assumes no responsibility for management or control of customer safety activities. Please ensure your business meets the requirements of all federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances related to workplace safety.
