Walking the path through your claims

Step-by-step guide to ensure a smooth process.

By BRETT GERRISH

While most every employer works to minimize the number of accidents, they still happen. Surprisingly, many employers do not have an in-house claims process in place, which causes disruptions to operations.

Here’s a step-by-step process you and your team can follow to reduce the risks of workplace injuries and ensure speedy response and quick recoveries for all involved:

1. Develop a proper safety plan.
You’ll never prevent every accident, but the more prepared you are, the fewer injuries will happen. Your best option is to position yourself to eliminate avoidable risk. This means you should:

• Create a proper workplace safety plan
• Start a company-wide safety team made up of key staff from across all levels and departments
• Have signage where it needs to be
• Schedule regular equipment training and safety checks
• Make safety-mindedness part of the company culture.

2. Immediately utilize the claims 1-800 number for worst case scenarios.
One of every business owner’s biggest fears is the big accident — life-changing injuries and events. In those instances, you may be so focused on immediate medical attention that reporting a workers’ comp. claim doesn’t even register. Make a plan in advance to properly file a claim:

• Identify a staff member and a backup staff member whose job it is to file a claim and have it done within 24-48 hours. Call RIC’s Clinical Consultation service (866.764.7705) to report claims 24/7 and receive immediate care recommendations from an occupational nurse, directions to your local preferred medical provider and complete your first notice of injury (FNOI).
• In the event of a death, employers must also notify the state within 8 hours by calling 800.858.0397.
• If a work-related inpatient hospitalization, amputation or eye loss occurs, employers must notify the state within 24 hours by calling 844.464.6742.

3. Properly document all other incidents ASAP.
The everyday slips, scrapes, and cuts can seem minor, but not reporting them can have large ramifications to your bottom line. Whether it is a cut that becomes infected, countering a fraudulent claim, or working to create a safer work environment (see point 4), it’s your responsibility to account for all issues related to workplace safety. Get into the habit of reporting anything out of the ordinary and potentially harmful to your team — it may rarely result in anything, but when it does, that documentation could prevent costly claims.

4. Treat every incident as a learning opportunity and modify your safety plan as appropriate.
Whether it’s a life-altering accident or small minor events, take each as an opportunity to improve. Ask why something happened and if it could have been prevented. Reassess signage, employee oversight, and safety training. Bring new people in and open your door to staff concerns. The more you can fix from past experience, the fewer future incidents will pop up.

RIC policyholders also have access to specialized cost-saving incentives. Through our Safe Workplace Credit Application program, your business can reduce its policy cost by up to 25% by implementing programs that will help limit on-site accidents — some you may already have in place.

We encourage all businesses to utilize the RIC online claim filing service and to go online to use resources from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

Are you ready to reduce the risk of on-site accidents?

Give Retailers Insurance Company a call at 800.366.3699 and their experts can provide you with valuable resources, assist you in navigating the complexities of the insurance claims process, and help you develop a plan to stop workplace injuries before they happen.