Employee Justice Legal Group
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Reporting a work injury or illness to your employer

On Behalf of | Jun 4, 2024 | Workers' Compensation

If you are injured at work or contract a work-related illness, you need to report it to your employer, as you need to get treatment and may need to miss work as you recover.

You should be intentional about how you report the injury or illness. Below are two factors to keep in mind.

Report it as soon as possible

Your supervisor should be informed about your injury or illness as soon as possible. If you are injured, you should report it immediately or as soon as possible. If you contract a work-related illness, report it when you notice symptoms.

You have 30 days to report a work-related injury or illness in California before losing your right to receive workers’ compensation benefits. But the earlier you report it, the better your chances typically are of not having its connection to your job questioned.

Fill out the claim form

After verbally reporting your case to your employer, they must give or mail you a claim form within one working day. If they don’t, you can download it from the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) website.

You will use this form to provide crucial details, including details about the injury/illness. Make a copy of the form before returning it to your employer in person or by mail. If you return it by mail, record the date you mail it and the date it was received. If you return it in person, write down the date and the person who received it.

Your employer will fill out the employer section of the form and send you a copy of the completed claim form. They will also send another copy to their insurer or claim administrator.

If you suffer a work-related injury or illness, get legal help to make informed decisions to protect the benefits you deserve.

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