Is there a deadline for reporting a workplace injury?

If you get injured on the job, you know that you need to report that injury to your employer. This is an important step in seeking workers’ comp benefits. The company needs to know that you were injured on the job, and as much information as can be provided is beneficial, especially in showing that the injury was work-related and didn’t happen at home.

But are there any important deadlines that you need to be aware of? Could an oversight or a missed deadline mean that you aren’t able to seek the benefits you both need and deserve?

The law provides 30 days

Under state law, you do get 30 days to report your injury. Not doing so can harm your chances of getting benefits.

Additionally, the law says that you have 30 days from the time that you knew your injury was connected to your employment. There are some injuries that are not immediately apparent, and the signs and symptoms may only become clear days or even weeks into the future. Of course, there are many other injuries that are obvious immediately, meaning that the 30 days would start as soon as the accident occurred.

All this being said, it is important to note that waiting longer to report the injury can sometimes complicate your claim. If you get hurt at work and report it the same day, while you’re still on the job, your employer knows about the situation the entire time. Even if you wait a single day and report the injury the next morning, that could open the door for accusations that you were hurt while you weren’t actually on the clock. As such, it’s usually best to report the injuries as soon as they happen, even though the law gives you 30 days.

Seeking workers’ comp can be complicated. Make sure you know what steps to take.