When an employee comes to you with an injury claim, you need to be careful in how you handle it. It’s important to carefully follow the Illinois regulations and your company’s procedures as you deal with an injury. Addressing a workers’ compensation claim can create issues for employers.
Here are some of the most common mistakes that employers make when filing an employee’s injury with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission:
Not reporting right away – You must file the Employer’s First Report of Injury form within a month of the time that the employee reports the injury. If there is an accidental on-the-job death, it must be reported to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission within two workdays.
Incomplete forms – Forgetting bits of information like the date that the injury happened can quickly complicate a claim.
Not saying that the employee will miss work – Any work-related injury that requires an employee to miss work for more than three days needs to be reported. Time away from work can change your employee’s benefits and must be included in your report.
Not reporting because the claim is suspicious – Just because a claim doesn’t seem quite right doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t report it. Any injury claimed by an employee should be reported. If you think the circumstances are questionable, tell your claims representative and they will investigate.
Filing in the wrong state – If your company works across state lines, it can be difficult to know where to file an injury. Filing in the wrong state can be detrimental because every area has its own laws about workplace injuries. Generally, you should send your employee’s claim to the state where the employee is based.
As you work through the accident reporting process, consider enlisting the help of counsel to ensure you are following the requirements of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act and avoiding any potential consequences from improper reporting.
