Prompt incident reporting in workers’ compensation claims is crucial for both workers and employers. Timely notification of injuries will ensure timely compensation to the injured worker. And at the same time, it can help the employer to timely detect the cause of the accident and prevent future accidents or claims. Virginia Workers' Compensation Attorneys at Kalfus & Nachman will guide you to file a strong claim and get you the benefits that you deserve.
Virginia Requirements For Reporting Of Workplace Accidents
According to the regulations set forth by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, every injured person should give a written notice of the incident to the employer immediately or as soon as possible after the accident occurred. If a worker fails to report the incident to the employer, his agent or representative within thirty days from the date of accident, he/she may not be entitled to any compensation or medical benefits. Every employer can also have its own reporting deadline for a work accident.
Benefits Of Timely Incident Reporting
Reporting an incident is truly a matter of your own protection. Below are a few reasons why reporting incidents is critical in workers’ compensation:
- Incident reporting will help the management to identify potential problem areas that need to be resolved to avoid such incidents in the future.
- Timely reporting ensures effective care management of the injured worker. Timely notification of accidents will ensure timely treatment, thus, timely recovery for the injured worker.
- Protect your claim from being identified as a potential fraudulent claim, in the absence of witnesses or key evidences. Because as time passes memory fades and facts become clouded and it becomes difficult to recollect the true details of the incident.
- Reporting incidents on time also prevents the aggravation of injuries. If you continue working the same amount of work, you'll never know when soreness will become a true injury.
- Many studies conducted by insurance companies show that timely accident reporting results in lower costs for them.
The Statute Of Limitations
The statute of limitations for filing a claim for workers’ compensation in Virginia is two years from the date the injuries occurred. As long as a work injury is reported within set forth deadlines, one can decide to claim any time within 2 years after the accident. Failing to file claim on time may cause you to lose your right to workers' compensation or death benefits for that accident.
Failure to timely report and manage your workers’ compensation claim could destroy your chances of recovering fair compensation and medical treatment. If you have been injured at a workplace, skilled and highly dedicated workers' compensation attorneys at Kalfus & Nachman are here to help!
Call us for a free consultation today: 855-880-8163
Resources:
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title65.2/chapter6/section65.2-600/
