Three Steps for a Smooth Workers' Comp Claim

We know the aim of LWCC policyholders is always to maintain a safe work environment and prevent workplace injuries. However, even with all the proper precautions, accidents can still happen. When they do, employers want their workers to receive care swiftly, return to work as quickly as they safely can, move through a smooth claims process, and minimize disruption to their business. Fortunately, all of those are possible with the right resources and procedures.

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Step One: Promptly File Your Workers’ Comp Claim

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The sooner a workers’ comp claim is filed, the quicker it can be resolved. From the moment an injury is reported, LWCC’s robust team of claims representatives begins working to investigate the accident, help the injured worker receive appropriate treatment, and help the policyholder navigate the process with as little disruption to their time and business as possible. Furthermore, studies have shown that both medical costs and legal risk are reduced when claims are quickly reported.

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Given the importance of timely reporting, LWCC makes it easy for policyholders to do so, offering claim reporting options online, by email, over the phone, or by fax. Managing an existing claim is equally as simple, with our dedicated claims team working and communicating regularly regarding all important aspects of every type of claim.

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‍Click here to learn more about the claims process.

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Step Two: Ensure Injured Workers get Care Quickly

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Knowing precisely where injured workers will receive care is another significant aspect of workers’ compensation claims and one that can easily be predetermined. LWCC encourages all policyholders to have an existing relationship with an occupational medicine clinic. Doing so means all aspects of workplace health, from drug screenings to post-accident care, are handled via a single provider. It also ensures that everyone knows exactly where to go for care when an injury occurs. Without that direction, workers may seek care with an out-of-network provider or via the emergency room. While some injuries may be severe enough to require emergency care, most can be adequately treated in an occupational clinic, which can be up to eight times less expensive than the ER.

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As the state’s largest workers’ compensation provider, LWCC has an extensive occupational medicine network (OMNET) of providers across the state.

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‍Click here to explore OMNET and find a provider near you.

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Step Three: Minimize Disruption After a Workplace Injury

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Both timely claims reporting and partnering with a dedicated occupational medicine clinic will help minimize the disruption to your business following a workplace accident, as will assisting the injured worker in returning to work as soon as possible. Of course, this is also something that must be done cautiously and with the worker’s safety top of mind. Modified duty is a great way to achieve both.

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Modified duty adjusts the injured worker’s job to accommodate work restrictions, such as lighter lifting, and slowly builds them back up to their normal job function. In most cases, a worker’s most significant opportunity for recovery comes while working, and the longer they are absent, the more time that process will take. Additionally, a prolonged employee absence can negatively impact morale and productivity, and it increases the likelihood that the injured worker will eventually need to be replaced.

LWCC’s WorkAction Program is an early intervention return-to-work program designed to help employers develop a plan to allow injured workers to return to their jobs quickly and safely.

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‍Click here to learn more about WorkAction, its benefits, and how it works.

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