How do I Evaluate an On-the-Job Worker Injury?

Warning signs in the workplace help to prevent injury.

On-the-job injuries are very important to investigate and track. Thoroughly investigating this type of injury can help to ensure that the workers' compensation costs do not spiral out of control. Perhaps more importantly, learning from a current injury can help prevent injuries in the future. Evaluating an on-the-job injury is relatively easy, but always consult with your company's workers' compensation insurance consultant to find out the basic requirements they have for reporting injuries.

Instructions

1. Get a written statement from the injured employee. Instruct him to write a detailed description of what he was doing at the time of the injury, what caused the accident and any other supporting information he may have. Have him sign and date this statement.

2. Get a written statement from each witness that includes a detailed description of everything he saw or heard leading up to the accident as well as information he may have about the cause or poor practices in the workplace. All witnesses must sign and date their statements.

3. Follow up with the employee's manager to investigate any recent write-ups that may involve the injured associate. Check in with coworkers to find out if there have been any internal disagreements among the workers. Make a note of anything you find out, because this information is important to report to the insurance company, since it can sometimes be a sign of fraudulent behavior.

4. Follow up with the injured worker to ensure he knows that the company cares about his well-being. Find out if there is anything more he would like to add to his report. If a doctor did not excuse him from work, ensure that his manager is keeping an eye on him so he does not work beyond any written doctor's restrictions.

5. Submit all findings to your workers' compensation insurance company. Insurance staff help to prevent fraud, help get the associate back to work by authorizing second opinions, constantly striving for a full release from the doctor, and bringing in legal or further medical help when necessary. They also help to explain the process to all involved while allowing the employer to remain neutral in the eyes of the injured associate.

6. Compile findings into a report so that the rest of the company can learn from the accident. For example, if it seems that the accident could have been prevented by having a warning sign in a dangerous area, order warning signs right away.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the workers' comp insurance company clued in to all findings at every step from the very beginning.

• Know your state's specific workers' compensation laws. For example, some states allow managers in the doctor's office after an on-the-job injury, while others don't.

References

• California Health Insurance: How to Spot Worker's Compensation Fraud
• All Business: Reduce Workers' Compensation Fraud with These Simple Steps