Many who are injured at work feel the need to hide it or shake it off and return to the task at hand.  On the job injuries can sideline you from work and have a negative impact on your bottom line.  This is especially true for families of single earning households.  Rather than feel the need to shake off an injury, take the following steps to report your on the job injury and potential workers compensation claim.

Report your injury to your employer immediately.  Your supervisor is governed by company directives, which generally require them to make an incident report and properly document the injury.  This serves to not only track the incident for company records, but also reduce the amount of false claims that are not substantiated by a company incident report.  After you alert your supervisor, your company should be able to help you either mail in a claim or file a claim online.  You can access the online claims form through the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation or through your managed care organization  (MCO).  Again, it is important to immediately report your injury because failing to do so may put your claim at risk.

Once reported, you should seek medical attention to learn the full extent of your injuries.  Even if you feel like it is simply a pulled muscle, visit a health care professional to determine if returning to work will put you at risk for greater injuries.   It is important to document all medical treatment and all visits with health care professionals to support your claim.  When you are injured on the job or due to something that occurred at the work place, make sure to tell your health care professional that you intend to file a claim for workers compensation.  If you have not yet filed a claim, it will then be your health care provider’s responsibility to report the injury on your behalf.

You can expect to wait about 2 weeks for a response packet from the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation.  This packet will include your BWC identification card, your claim number, and contact information for your claims service specialist.  Those who file a workers compensation claim online will receive an identification card right away.  Contact your health care professional and provide him or her with the claim number.  It is always best to contact a worker’s compensation attorney as well.  When you work with an attorney to help prepare your claim or appeal you can rest assured the necessary steps have been taken to submit a fully realized claim.

Your claim will be reviewed and you will receive a response within 28 days.  At this time you will learn if your claim was denied or approved.  Be certain to respond promptly to any requests for more information as failure to do so may compromise your claim.  If you find your claim for workers compensation benefits is denied, contact an attorney to help prepare an appeal.  An experienced workers compensation lawyer can review your claim and help gather necessary information to present a well-documented appeal to the board for review.

If you were injured at work and have questions about filing a worker’s compensation claim, call us today.  Work with experienced Columbus, Ohio workers compensation attorneys to file a claim or appeal a claim denial.  At Agee Clymer Mitchell & Portman, we advocate for your rights and work hard to make sure your workers compensation claim is handled properly.  Call 614-221-7308 today for a free consultation with dedicated worker’s compensation lawyers.