As a business owner, you know that your workers compensation claims history is one of the biggest factors in what you pay for workers compensation insurance. That could lead to you not wanting to file and report injury claims so your insurance won't go up. That is not a good idea.
Not Reporting Injuries Goes Against the Law
Workers compensation isn't just another type of insurance. It's a legal requirement, and workers have similar protections as they do with unpaid wages, overtime violations, and other labor issues. If the government finds that you're not reporting or underreporting injuries, you could face several consequences.
The first consequence is civil fines for breaking workers compensation laws. The second is having to pay additional premiums plus interest for the time your workers compensation rates would have been higher if you had reported the injuries. Finally, your state may treat serious violations as a criminal fraud and bring charges against the company's owners or managers who were involved.
Treating Injuries Early is Better for Everyone
Any good workers compensation lawyer will tell you that you want your workers to report injuries as soon as possible. That's because your workers compensation insurance isn't just based on your number of claims. It's based on how expensive your claims are.
Remember that workers compensation covers medical bills, lost wages, and related costs. Minor injuries require minor treatment, and you may be able to move the worker to light duty so that they don't lose any wages. Left untreated, minor injuries can turn into major injuries that require a more expensive surgery, more time away from work, or could even cause a permanent disability.
If You Didn't Have Workers Compensation, You Could Be Sued
It's important to remember that workers compensation benefits you as the employer. Workers compensation attorneys often get tasked with defending employers against exaggerated or outright fraudulent workers compensation claims. However, they will also tell you that many claims are legitimate.
When an injury happens in the workplace, the employee may be able to sue you on multiple grounds. These might include not providing a safe work environment, improper training or lack of supervision of another employee who caused the injury, or not providing proper training. If you work with your workers compensation lawyer to handle your claims by the book, workers compensation will cover virtually any injuries you could be sued for.
To learn more about how to manage your workers compensation claims and follow the law, contact a local workers compensation attorney today.
