If you are injured or develop a disease at work, it’s crucial to inform your employer about it regardless of how minor the injury or illness appears to be. Reporting is the first step to receiving workers’ compensation benefits.
But when should you report your case to protect your rights?
Report it as soon as possible
If you are injured while working, report it immediately. If you contract an illness, report it as soon as symptoms occur.
Note that employees in New Hampshire must complete the notice of accidental injury or occupational disease 8aWCA within 24 hours of occurrence. After filling out the form, you will provide it to your supervisor or employer.
Besides protecting your rights to claim benefits, reporting promptly allows you to get immediate medical help. Some injuries or symptoms that seem minor can become complicated if not treated sooner.
Further, reporting earlier allows you to gather relevant evidence that you can use to support your claims.
When filling out the 8aWCA form, provide adequate information about the injury or disease. Describe how it happened, the body parts affected, the location of the accident and so on.
Observe the statute of limitations
An injured employee has two years from the date of the injury to notify the employer about the injury. If you contract an illness that develops gradually or sustain an injury that can’t be recognized immediately, you will provide the date you knew or, by reasonable diligence, should have known of the nature of the injury and its potential relationship to your work duties.
If you are injured in the line of duty or an element of your work causes you to develop an illness, obtain adequate information to receive benefits.