Workers’ Compensation claims can be costly, particularly if they are not properly managed. Here are some tips for managing costs and navigating the claim.

1. Timely reporting of the workers’ compensation claim is mandatory. You can guarantee a smoother process if the employee reports the claim immediately. This allows preservation of evidence, expedited treatment, and the avoidance of late fees or penalties. If there is any fraud, it is more easily identified in earlier reports. In order to avoid any delays in compensation or difficulty in obtaining medical records, employers should have the claimant sign a medical release as soon as possible from the time of injury.

2. Train your supervisors and managers. It’s critical that your supervisors and managers understand the workers’ compensation process, in order to properly handle any incidents. Your supervisors and managers will need to be able to direct employees to the appropriate individuals, assess the validity of a claim, manage work restrictions and assist with the employee’s return to work process as quickly as possible. It is also important for the supervisors and managers to understand the cost and impact of workers’ compensation, and for them to take responsibility for preventing injuries.

3. Take details notes and perform a thorough investigation at the time of the incident. Each and every claim must be taken seriously and investigated as soon as possible. Your investigation should consist of the following:

  • Gather as many facts as possible in great detail.
  • Identify and interview any witness to the incident.
  • Conduct an interview of the employee’s supervisor, who has the greatest understanding of the job and knowledge of the worker.
  • Secure the scene of the accident to preserve evidence.
  • Take photos and create diagrams to assist with illustrating the incident.

Similarly, do not immediately dismiss a questionable claim. It’s important that the investigation can be completed and that all facts are collected before prematurely confronting an employee about a suspicious claim. If you suspect fraud, and incorrectly accuse the employee, you could subject yourself to a lawsuit.

4. Maintain an open line of frequent communication with all involved parties. We cannot stress enough the importance of communication throughout the claims process. There needs to be a contact regarding issues such as how to report an injury, when to expect benefits, how to return to work and who to contact with questions. You must keep in touch with the employee while they are on workers’ compensation, as well as health care provider regarding the status of the employee’s condition. You must ensure that there is an agreed upon target date for the employee’s return to light duty, regular duty and completion of medical care.

5. Set up a return to work program. A business can minimize and/or eliminate lost-time claims by implementing a return to work program. This can help to get an employee back to work sooner, as well as feel more valued by the business itself. Identify activities that injured workers can do within your organization to bring them back as they recuperate, and help your employees to identify additional skills they may be able to apply to fill other needs of the business.

6. Prevent work-related injuries. The key to preventing your employees from getting injured on the job is the develop and implement a comprehensive safety program, and routinely train employees and supervisors on the program. A review of the business’ claims history would provide some insight as to how to prevent any re-occurences. Any patterns in the claims may also point to fraudulent claims or unsafe working conditions.

7. Choose a top-quality managed care organization. Hamond Group helps businesses save significant costs on workers’ compensation claims. Hamond Group is familiar with all relevant processes and regulation, providing cost-containment strategies to effectively control claims costs.