You get injured in a fall at work. You don’t think it’s that serious, so you don’t tell anyone. But you can tell that it’s a real problem when you wake up the next day and the pain has only gotten worse.
What you’re concerned about is the fact that you already left work without reporting it. Does that mean that it’s now too late to file a workers’ comp claim? How long do you have to make this report?
You have 30 days
The good news is that you can still make your report if it’s simply the next day. You actually have 30 days to report your injury and still secure the workers’ compensation benefits that you’re seeking.
That said, though the letter of the law may give you 30 days, it is best to report it as soon as you can. If you didn’t report it on the day that you were hurt, you definitely want to make that report the next time you go in.
A quick report can make your case a lot easier. Even in your situation, your employer may already be skeptical that you went home and came back saying that you’d been injured the following day. Will they think that you got hurt while you were at home and that you’re just now trying to blame it on employment so you can seek benefits? If you would have reported it as soon as it happened, would that have made it appear more trustworthy?
Again, this doesn’t mean that you are in violation of the law or that you can’t make the report. You absolutely can. It just may make your case a bit more complicated than it had to be, and you certainly want to understand all of the legal options at your disposal.