Some claims are challenging, but most are straightforward, especially when everyone is on the same page. Today, we’re taking a look at the Top 5 Ways to Keep Claims On-Track. These are the steps you can take — now and during the claims process – to help your employee recover more quickly and reduce the financial impact on your company.
In a nutshell, it all comes down to being educated and open about the process. Things are much more likely to run smoothly when everyone understands the desired outcome and steps involved to get there.
Before the claim (aka now!)
- Educate yourself – Workers’ comp is a big, confusing topic. Don’t wait until your company is in the midst of a claim — and down an employee — to start learning the basics. Approach offers Claims 101™ in-person and online, so you’ll be prepared and know what to do when a claim is filed. Why not register today?
- Educate your employees – The claims process can be even more challenging for the injured worker, who may be uncomfortable, worried, or just plain confused. Our Injured Worker Packet and Claims Process Infographic are two tools you can use to educate your employees in advance, so they’ll know what to expect if a claim is filed. Providing this information up-front can prevent frustration and mistrust, helping to speed up recovery and claim closure.
After the injury and/or claim filing
- Bring your injured employee back to work – It might seem like a few days off is the best thing for an injured worker, but it’s crucial to bring him or her back to work as soon as the doctor says it’s OK. This might be their usual job or it may be a light-duty position. Let us know as soon as there’s an accident or claim filing, so that your Approach Retro Coordinator can help you make the right call. If you need to create a light-duty position, we’ll also help you to request additional refunds from the state of Washington through the Stay-At-Work program.
- Stay in touch – Whether the employee is at home or back at work, it’s important to always demonstrate concern for his or her treatment and recovery. Request updated information from the doctor and generally do your best to keep the lines of communication open and positive. In our experience, once communication stops, the claims process usually changes for the worse, increasing the time and cost needed to reach closure.
- Perform a post-accident investigation – Although you can’t undo an accident that’s already occurred, discovering the root cause of that event can assist your team in eliminating the hazard and preventing future injuries. The Approach Safety Team is available for post-accident investigations and routine safety checks.
Our goal at Approach is to move claims to closure as quickly as possible through an early and safe return to work for the injured worker. Keep these five tips in mind during your next workers’ comp claims process so we can all work together for the best possible outcome.
