Benefits of Timely Injury Reporting
Did you know that costs can rise 35 percent for claims reported just a few weeks after an injury? And an increase in claims costs could mean a higher premium for the insured business down the road. One of the easiest and most effective ways to save on claims costs is to report claims the day they happen. The longer an employer waits, the more costs can stack up.1
- Excluding emergency cases, claims costs were lowest for those reported earlier and rose the longer the report was delayed. Claims reported three weeks after an injury were 35 percent more expensive than those reported in a more timely manner, and waiting until week four added another 12 percent.
- Sprains and strains account for almost half of all lost-time injuries. In these cases, the cost of reporting four weeks late was about a 70 percent increase.
- The longer an employer waits to report a claim, the more likely it is that the injured employee will hire an attorney. Of claims reported immediately, about 13 percent end up with an attorney involved. That number jumps to 32 percent for claims reported after week four.
The reasons for increased costs are fairly obvious:1
- Delayed medical care. “Walk it off” may be a common mantra for some, but it is rarely a recommended treatment you’ll hear from a doctor. A delay in treatment allows time and opportunity for the injury to get worse.
- Delayed access to network physicians. If the injured employee first sees his or her own primary care physician, then later files the injury as a workers’ comp claim, costs are usually higher. Contracted network rates go a long way toward reducing claim costs.
- Higher litigation rates. As mentioned above, late reporting increases the chances of litigation. That’s because it often creates a chain of other frustrating backups and misunderstandings.
Here are a few quick ideas to help you improve your reporting speeds:1
- Train your people to report any incidents immediately and create an environment that encourages them to do so.
- Track reporting times and work toward improvements if you have frequent claims.
- Centralize reporting to one person. Assign someone the job of collecting and reporting injury information, and be sure all of your employees know about, and have access to, this person.
Improving the injured worker experience
The sooner we know about a claim, the sooner we are able to connect with the injured worker. After a work injury is reported to Summit, we reach out to the employer, the injured worker and the treating physician to begin coordinating care. Bob O’Halloran, former senior vice president of Summit’s claims department, explains how critical that contact is. “We manage claims daily, so it’s almost second nature for our employees. But for an injured worker who has never needed workers’ compensation benefits, the process can be daunting. We find that when we are able to speak to someone with a workplace injury quickly, we can alleviate many of their concerns and fears and answer any questions they may have.”
We encourage our insured businesses to report injuries immediately, which is why we offer 24/7 reporting options. Our customers have access to a recently upgraded injury reporting tool by logging in to our website. And, of course they can still call our injury reporting line at 1-800-762-7811 or email the injury report to [email protected].