Lin Chabra, MIIA Senior Risk Management Manager
MIIA encourages municipalities to remind employees to report every work-related incident immediately — even if the incident doesn’t appear serious enough to meet reporting requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
From a workers’ compensation perspective, early reporting is one of the most important best practices. A strain, slip, bump, or other seemingly minor injury can later develop into a more significant claim.
Prompt reporting creates a clear record of what happened and helps ensure that the claim can be reviewed, investigated and managed appropriately.
Prompt reporting also helps employees receive appropriate medical care quickly, supports workers’ compensation claim management, and gives workers’ compensation claims professionals the information they need while memories and facts are fresh. It can also help identify potential safety concerns and reduce the likelihood of disputes or litigation.
Timely reporting leads to better outcomes, including accelerated return to work, less litigation, and, on average, lower cost per claim. It also makes it easier for the municipality or public entity to consider transitional duty return-to-work options when medically appropriate. Transitional duty can help an injured employee return to productive work safely while continuing to recover.
Supervisors and department heads also play an important role. Internal follow-up can help document the incident, identify hazards, and support a safer workplace going forward.
