4 Things to Do When Your Employee Suffers a Workplace Injury

Workers Compensation is a compulsory cover for most Western Australian businesses that employ part-time or full-time employees. If you are a small business owner, this cover protects your business from having to pay potentially large costs associated with medical bills and replacement income, in the event of a workplace illness or injury.



If an employee suffers an injury at the workplace, the employer is responsible for filing the claim with the insurer. The excerpt below discusses what you should do if an employee suffers an accident at the workplace. 

1. Ask the employee to seek immediate medical attention

It is the first rule of any injury claim. The reason behind this is, if the employee chooses not to seek medical attention, it will be challenging to determine the extent of their injuries.

For example, take the case where an employee fails to seek medical attention for a fracture. Over time, the fractured area may begin to swell and become infectious. If the employee decided to seek medical attention at this stage, the injury would be more expensive to treat than it would have been initially. Additionally, the injury will also take longer to heal.

The underlying principle of Workers Compensation is that the insurance company only pays for injuries resulting from the accident. Therefore, insurance adjusters could argue that the employee's negligence increased the severity of the injuries. Alternatively, they could assert that the employee failed to seek medical attention to increase the value of their claim. These arguments could significantly affect their claim.

2. Gather evidence that relates to the injury

Insurers will require intricate details regarding the injury to ensure that the injured employee qualifies for compensation. Ideally, you should provide the following information:

·        Was the injured employee casual or permanent?

·        What time was the employee injured? The insurance company will want to know if the incident occurred during working hours.

·        What was the state of the employee when the injury occurred? For example, were they under the influence of medication or drugs?

·        What was the cause of the injury? It could be a defective machine, slippery surface, car accident or poorly built structure.

·        Did the employee have pre-existing medical conditions that you were aware of?

·        What are the employee's salary and allowances?

·        From your assessment, do you think that the employee was negligent? 

3. Contact the insurance provider

The insurance company expects you to file the claim. The claims filing process should be straightforward when dealing with most insurers. More often than not, you can file the claim on the insurer’s website. You may have to visit their office or that of your insurance broker to file the claim. 

Once you file the claim, the insurance company will send an adjuster to establish the conditions that led to the incident. In most cases, the adjuster will need to interview you, the injured employee and any witnesses at the site. He or she will then file a report with the insurer. The insurer will use this report to determine suitable compensation.

4. Prepare your employee for the claims process

As an employer, you should not take any sides once an employee suffers an injury at your workplace. However, given that the employee does not understand the claims process, it would be wise to give them some insight as to what they should expect.

Typically, the employee must be completely honest with the insurance adjuster. For instance, if they left out minor details such as the existence of other medical conditions, the insurer could argue that they intend to defraud the company. The employee is also entitled to negotiate their compensation if they feel that the insurer’s offer is too low.

As observed, filing and following up on a compensation claim can be nerve-racking for the employer and employee. For this reason, you need an experienced professional to guide you and follow up with the insurance company. Westralian Insurance can help you out when it comes to compensation claims. Contact us today and enjoy peace of mind as you file your claim.