Information regarding, i.e., what to do if get hurt at the workplace can be overwhelming for the workers. This guide will help the workers about how to write an incident report for getting their compensation as soon as possible.
If a worker gets harmed at the office due to an accident, then he or she needs to know what to do after that. It is vital for the employees to know how the worker's compensation system operates since it could be their only source of getting reimbursement for any on-job injury or sickness.
What details an Incident Report Contain?
Firms have their own different criteria for devising the incident report that a worker will require to follow in order to receive workers' compensation insurance. The workers' compensation report asks the personal information of the worker and the major details of the accident that has caused injury to the worker. Basically, the incident report requests the suffering worker to include description like:
- The nature or severity of the injury, this also includes the body parts that are affected by the injury.
- Description of how the incident occurred.
- The parties who were involved in the accident.
- Exact date and time of the incident.
- Location where the accident took place.
- Details of the medical treatment that the worker has or will receive.
After filling the report, the worker needs to give it to the employer for further processing. Also, make sure to keep an additional copy of the report with you in case of need. Submission of the report starts the compensation process.
Avoiding Mistakes on an Accident Report
Insurance companies normally use the worker's incident reports to dispute the compensation claims made by the affected labor. In this regard, the insurance companies or employee's own firms, compare the information that a worker has written in the incident report with the medical treatment records and any other associated evidence. If there exists any sort of discrepancy in the incident report and the evidence or the worker has unintentionally made a mistake while writing the facts, then the compensation claim will be denied. Thus, when writing the incident report the workers need to avoid these mistakes:
- Stating symptoms which never occurred, for example, loss of consciousness, etc.
- Making assumptions about the incident. Like if you do not know the actual reason behind the slip and fall, do not state it on the basis of your thinking.
- Reporting anything about which you do not have any evidence.
- Refrain from including any sort of diagnosis unless suggested by the doctor.
A worker's written report has to be correct and truthful; however, it does not mean that it needs to include each and every potential aspect of the incident. Truly speaking, a detailed report can also backfire. Therefore, the report should clearly explain the nature of the worker's injury and how it happened.
Nevertheless, a worker must report minor symptoms which are evidently visible. For example, the labor can write about a headache which resulted in hitting the head at work. While it may seem insignificant at the initial stages but it could progress into anything serious later. Thus, minor claims are acceptable if not overly stated in the incident report.
Does the Reporting of an Incident Require Any Paperwork?
In addition to writing a report of injury to your employer, it is also needed to file for a workers' compensation insurance claim form. The employee in this perspective needs to go to the state's owned worker compensation agency to submit their injury claim. In some instances, employer submits the claim form of their affected workers to the state's compensation agency. Few USA states offer online claim form facility to their citizen to make the process easier for them.
One thinks it is imperative for the workers that the states usually have strict deadlines regarding the filing of a compensation claim form. If labor misses that deadline, he or she may typically lose the basic right of availing workers' comp benefits in case of injury. US state Maryland has their own set of rules regarding filing a compensation claim and employees belonging to that region can view them from their worker's compensation commission page. Moreover, visiting the state's workers' comp agency information department can also assist the workers regarding claim form process.
Important Documents that are required with The Compensation Report
It is equally essential for workers to include documents linked with the incident in your compensation report as evidence. The employees require making an organized set of their documents in case they might face a problem with the claim. Additional records, which are to be included with the report include:
- Forms which the worker has filled and documents received. Workers usually receive several types of forms to be filled out and other linked documents at the time of making a compensation claim. Thus, these copies should be attached to the incident report. Also, it is imperative for the worker to keep a copy of everything that they receive, even the photocopies of the envelopes that contain postmarks.
- Medical reports.Make sure to attach all the medical treatment report.
- Notes regarding how the injury has affected the work.The incident report should contain the notes of how the injury has made the worker suffer in doing office work.
- Paychecks/Salary and time sheets.Attach the copy of the paycheck or income details before the accident along with the report. This will reflect on how the injury has affected the labor's work and income.
Consult a Lawyer on how to write an incident report
A worker might not easily understand the technicalities of the accident report and in this situation, it is better to consult a lawyer who can guide about how to write and submit an incident form. Look for the lawyer that has experience in managing the workers' compensation claims. The initial session isusually freeand the lawyer can rightly guide you about the incident report writing style and what possible benefits the worker would be able to receive.
Workers who are considering applying for the claim must ask all the questions regarding workers' compensation claim with the lawyer, specifically in case of confusion. The lawyer can guide the worker about the claim process and correspondingly educate them about how to write the incident report and legal rights. Most importantly, if worker's report or claim gets denied, then the lawyer can appeal against it.
Conclusion
Writing an accurate report for attaining the worker's compensation holds immense importance. The incident report should contain the nature of the injury that is caused during the workplace accident. Description about how the incident happened, where it took place, what was the day and time, who were involved and the medical treatment received should also be covered in the incident form. In contrast, the report must not contain any information that is not true and based on assumption. For example, the report should not state symptoms of injury that never happened.
On the other hand, in many states, they require the workers to fill a compensation claim form. This is a crucial document that is needed to be attached to the report. Moreover, the incident form has to contain the medical records for the treatment received for workplace injury and the paychecks of the worker that can be compared with the current income of the worker subjected with an injury. If that is not enough, the worker can consult the lawyer to seek guidance about how to write correclty the report.
