Your First Steps if Injured on the Job

Workplace accidents happen, often despite safety measures and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) workplace accident regulations .  Several steps should be taken immediately following a workplace accident or injury which can help you protect your claim.

Get help on claims
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development also offer informal benefit review conferences to assist in reaching claim settlements.  Your %20Workers%20Compensation%20Attorneys.aspx" workers compensation attorney in Knoxville , can help you with such reviews and/or disputed claims with the insurance companies.  If you sustain a work-related injury, contact an experienced workers compensation attorney to discuss your legal options.

What to do

Worker comp claimscover a wide variety of injuries including:

• Falls
• Burns
• Cuts
• Chemical exposures
• Repetitive motion injuries
• Falling object injuries
• Equipment injuries

Regardless of your work related injury, Tennessee law requires the following steps for a valid workers comp claim:

• Employee report.  You should immediately report any work-related accident, injury, or illness to your employer within 30 days of the date of injury or when a doctor first tells you that your injury is work related.
• Employer report.  Your employer must report injuries or illnesses to the company's insurer on the Tennessee Employer's First Report of Work Injury or Illness form (Form C-20) within one working day of knowledge of the injury or illness.
• Insurer report.  Insurance carriers must file a
• Doctor list.  Upon your report of a workplace injury, your employer must provide a written list of three doctors from whom you can receive medical treatment.  An Agreement between Employer/Employee Choice of Physician form (Form C-42) is completed, a copy given to you, and the original kept on file by the employer.  If you sustained a back injury, the doctor list should include a choice of four doctors and at least one chiropractor.  The doctors must also be located in or near your residential area.  Whichever doctor you select becomes your treating physician, and you may not see another doctor unless your treating physician refers you to a specialist.

If your claim is approved, you may receive benefits including:

• Weekly disability benefits
• Medical treatment
• Mileage reimbursement
• Permanent disability