Many workplace injuries are avoidable, but unfortunately they still happen in every industry. Employers have a legal and ethical responsibility to protect and ensure the well-being of their employees. One way to make good on those promises is to encourage the early reporting of injuries.
In this blog, we’ll take a deep dive into why the early reporting of injuries is crucial to both your business and to your employees.
Quicker Treatment for Injured Employees
The sooner an injured employee receives treatment, the faster they can recover and return to work. Immediately reporting injuries allows the insurance carrier to direct the employee to an appropriate medical provider, facilitating quick and efficient treatment (in Pennsylvania, employees would be referred to a panel physician for treatment).
Prevent Worsening and Future Injuries
Putting off anything in life often just makes things worse in the long run. Reporting injuries as soon as they happen allows for prompt treatment, thus reducing the likelihood of complications and ensuring a faster recovery process.
Early reporting also prevents future incidents from happening in the first place. By taking the information learned from past incidents, you’ll be able to identify potential hazards and take proactive steps to mitigate or eliminate them entirely.
Completing Timely Investigations
When you report an injury early, you will be ensured a complete investigation and preserved evidence like witness accounts and photographs of the accident scene. The timely reporting of injuries helps insurance carriers quickly determine the compensability of the injury and allows the carrier to determine whether the injury happened at work or elsewhere.
Fighting Back Against Fraud
Fraud can happen at anytime, and delaying injury reports creates a fertile environment for fraudulent activity. Failure to immediately report an injury allows more time for exaggerated or distorted facts and can create an opportunity to cover up loss details. Early reporting ensures that legitimate claims are paid promptly while fraudulent ones are identified and denied.
Demonstrating Care for Injured Employees
Your most important asset is your team, and early reporting shows your team that you care about them and value their wellbeing. This care not only is the right thing to do, it also prevents employees from bringing an attorney into the mix when they feel like their wellbeing isn’t being respected.
What You Can Do
To encourage early reporting of workplace injuries, educate your employees on the importance of prompt reporting, including record-only claims. Encouraging employees to seek immediate medical attention and following up with them can also demonstrate care and concern. You should report complete and accurate information such as the employee’s name, address, phone, date of birth, social security number, job title, and wage information to avoid delays in payment and authorized treatment.
Want to Learn More?
Reporting workplace injuries is essential for protecting employees and employers alike. Talk to your trusted SISCO advisor today for more on how you can make early reporting a priority for your business.