When an accident or illness occurs on the job, it’s important to let your boss know right once. You are obligated to give them notice no later than 30 days after the incident or the day you were diagnosed with a condition related to your job.
Your only obligation under Virginia’s workers’ compensation statute is to notify your “employer” of the incident. To be safe, you can give your notice to any higher-up, such as your boss, manager, foreman, or even the company owner. Send a note to your employer and doctor that you have taken medical leave, and include the date and signature. Save a copy for your files.
Someone else can inform your employer if you cannot do so. A letter of notification sent on your behalf by a coworker, friend, family member, or attorney will still be sufficient to satisfy the legal requirement. Discuss your possibilities with a reputed injury lawyers Virginia Beach.
Once an employee sustains an injury, how long do they have before their employer must report it?
If you are injured in Virginia, your employer must notify the Workers’ Compensation Commission within 10 days (WCC). The law requires an employer to disclose any “minor” accident, injury, or condition within 30 days. In the event that any of the following occur, it will not be considered trivial:
- Due to your illness, you were out of commission for over seven days.
- The cost of the essential medical care is over $1,000.
- An investigation has revealed that the claim is either false or not compensable.
- A worker’s death was the direct outcome of this issue.
- The illness rendered the victim permanently disabled or disfigured.
- The VWCC makes an explicit request.
How Important Is Your Employer’s Reporting of Your Accident?
You should get a confirmation letter from the VWCC when your employer has filed a report of your work-related condition. The mail will tell you where to access your claim account online. Even if you don’t get this letter, you can still submit a claim to the VWCC. You can accomplish this by:
- Visiting any VWCC office with a completed Claim for Benefits Form
- Fill out the form and send it to the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission at 333 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219.
- Simply by sending a completed form by fax to (804) 823-6956
- Starting the claims process by signing up for a WebFile account and completing the form electronically