Every company’s dream is to create a safe working environment for its employees.
However, accidents happen, and at some point, an employee gets a work-related injury.
Therefore, every employer must learn the ropes of processing a worker’s compensation claim.
With that said, note that the work doesn’t end at processing the claim. The business owner should support the worker throughout the compensation process.
After the work-related injury, often, the employee enters into a state of stress.
They’re concerned about their health, accumulating utility and medical bills, and sometimes job security.
These employees need maximum support, which significantly affects their recovery process.
So, how do you support your workers during a compensation claim?
Tips On Supporting Workers During A Compensation Claim
The process of offering support to your employee facing a work injury starts before the injury happens.
It begins with educating your team on worker’s compensation coverage.
Ensure that all your employees know that they should report any work-related injury or illness as soon as it happens.
However, the time frame of the viability of a compensation claim varies from state to state.
Your laborers should be aware of the different requirements depending on the location of the business.
You can visit websites like www.terrykatzandassociates.com to look for professionals who can negotiate with the insurance company should the process be unusually complicated.
Here’s how you can further support them during the process.
Guide The Injured Employee On The Required Paperwork
Depending on the severity of the injury, a worker may require immediate treatment, or the injury may be manageable for later care without using emergency services.
Whichever the case, the next step that follows is filing the claim.
The process of filing a compensation claim requires several documents, and it can sometimes be taxing for an injured worker.
Here’s where you come in as the employer. Start by providing a worker’s compensation claim form for them to fill out.
If they can’t write, they can dictate the entries while you register on their behalf.
The document details the nature of the injury, where, when, and how it happened.
Other types of documentation required include an injury form to be presented to the company’s board.
The injured laborer will also need a medical report written by their doctor. Other than that, you must submit a worker’s compensation insurance document to the injured employee.
The employee learns of their rights concerning the injury through the document.
File The Paperwork
Even though it’s the business owner’s responsibility to file the claim to the relevant insurer, it’s still a form of support.
Once you’ve filled all the required documents, submit them to the insurance company to initiate the process of compensation.
Besides that, you may have to file the documents with your state workers’ compensation board, depending on the state.
Filing the forms with the state helps prevent fraud cases where laborers lie about the extent of the injury or its occurrence.
Helping your employee with these tasks helps to fasten the initiation process of compensation, and it saves them unnecessary trips to different offices while they’re in pain.
Cooperate With The Insurance Company and Associated Parties
As aforementioned, the process of being compensated will involve an investigation from the insurance company.
The investigation may require the business owner to answer some questions or provide some information about the worker in question.
Some of this information includes the injured employee’s payroll history, their work file, or if the employee is self-insured.
Providing the insurance company with sufficient prompt support to access this information help make the process smoother and faster.
A fastened compensation process ultimately benefits your worker; it helps them settle the accumulated bills and eases the related stress.
Have Follow-Up Communication
The recovery process can sometimes be so lonely. It’s also very common for employees to worry about their job security while confined in their recovery beds.
Follow-up communication can help ease this worry and uncertainty.
Through the follow-ups, let the worker know that you’re looking forward to their return to work. Make it clear that their job is still in place for them, and show concern about their healing progress.
Sometimes it’s not about the work as much as it’s about connecting with the innate human need to be cared for and supported.
Apart from showing support, follow-up communication helps you touch base with compensation progress.
It’s recommended you reach out to your injured employee at least every two weeks.
Organize An Easy Transition Back To Work
Supporting your injured team member doesn’t end at processing the compensation. It’d be best to continue supporting them as they return to work.
First, ensure that they’re medically allowed to work.
Depending on the severity of the injury, make sure that the task assigned to them don’t cause any form of strain, pain, or injury.
It’s also essential to make sure that the recovering employee receives maximum support from other workers.
You can do this by ensuring there’s no blame game for who was responsible for the accident.
Show Support Today
If you are genuinely concerned about your injured employee, use the tips above to start showing support.
If it’s too late, you can use it for future worker’s compensation claim processes. There’s always a starting point for everything.