File a Workers' Compensation Claim

• Get medical attention right away.
• Officially notify your employer (usually, the HR department or your supervisor).
• File a claim with the Workers' Compensation office.

Even if your injury or illness seems minor, you never know what might develop later as a result. So, you'd be wise to get it on record by notifying your employer and filing a Workers' Compensation Insurance claim. Your employer might require you to see their doctors, so if it's practical and not an emergency, be sure to check first. (If it's an emergency, get medical attention right away at the nearest medical facility.) Your state might have limits on the time you have to notify your employer and file a Workers' Compensation claim, so it's a good idea to act right away.

Your employer might provide you with the forms and instructions to file a Workers' Compensation claim or you can get them from your local state office. You can find it in the state government section of the white pages phone book from your phone company, and on the Web. The U.S. Department of Labor maintains a list of office addresses, phone numbers and Web links by state.

Appeal a Workers' Compensation Claim

If your employer disputes your benefit claim, you may ask for a hearing in front of the Workers' Compensation board. If you lose, you may appeal to take your case before a Workers' Compensation Administrative Law Judge. If you still lose, you might be able to take it to court in the judicial system.

Whether or not you'll need a lawyer along the way depends on the complexity of your case. But it's a good idea to have a lawyer by your side when you stand before an administrative or court judge. See a lawyer who specializes in Workers' Compensation or labor law.

To look up your state's Workers' Compensation laws in brief, click State Law Summaries and State Law Tables in the sidebar. For more details, visit the site of the Workers' Compensation office for your state.

Workers' Compensation Insurance
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