What to do with All the Forms in Workers’ Compensation
At the beginning of a typical workers’ compensation claim, the injured worker often receives a packet of many standard documents and forms from the insurance company adjuster with a request to complete the forms, return them all, signed and dated.
Usually, within three to five business days after the reporting of a work accident, the injured worker should receive an informational brochure explaining his or her rights and obligations, and a Notification Letter explaining the services provided by the Employee Assistance Office of the Division of Workers’ Compensation. These forms may be part of a packet which may include some or all the following:
- A copy of the accident report or “First Report of Injury or Illness;
- a fraud statement, which should be read, signed and returned as soon as possible, or benefits may be temporarily withheld;
- a release of medical records;
- and usually a medical mileage reimbursement forms.
Many of these forms sent contain complex inquiries, and often our clients have concerns about how to complete the forms and have excellent questions about what information the insurance company is entitled to obtain. For example, often insurance companies include with the standard forms, a very broad medical release, that if the injured worker signs, allows the insurance company to obtain far greater medical information about the injured worker’s history than the insurance company would ever be able to learn without the voluntary medical release from the injured worker. We can help you identify which form this one is that may be included in your packet and if you should sign it and return it.
The most common but important workers’ compensation forms injured workers must review are:
- Fraud Statements
- Employee Earning Reports
- Medical Releases
- Unemployment Compensation Releases
- Social Security Disability Releases
Please know that many of the forms sent to you by your adjuster do have to be signed and returned for medical and money benefits to begin, so if you have any questions about which of the forms you should complete and return, do not hesitate to contact the workers’ compensation attorneys here at Harris Guidi Rosner to review the documents and discuss your workers’ compensation case. We offer free consultations regarding workers’ compensation cases. Call us at (904) 777-7777 to schedule your consultation or email us at mills@harrisguidi.com regarding your case.
