What Is the Process of Filing for Workers' Compensation?
After sustaining an on-the-job injury, you can receive medical care and payment for lost wages by filing a workers’ compensation claim. Knowing the steps to take in pursuing a claim helps you get the benefits you deserve quickly. Here’s what to do and what to expect if you get injured at work in Ohio.
Filing Your Claim Form
Filing online is the fastest way of starting your claims process with the Ohio Board of Workers Compensation (BWC). The quickest options are to complete and submit the First Report of Injury, Occupational Disease or Death (FROI) through the board’s website; print and fax it to 1(866) 336-8352; or drop it off at a nearby BWC claims office. Mailing an FROI often slows down the process.
If you prefer to give your information by phone, call BWC at 1 (800) 644-6292 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST. A customer service representative will ask you the questions to complete the form and submit it for you.
Receiving a Decision
BWC conducts and completes an initial investigation and decides within 28 days of the filing date whether to allow, deny, or dismiss your claim. A Claims Service Specialist (CSS) issues a written notice called a BWC Order that shows the decision. You have 14 days to appeal a decision you dispute, or up to one year to refile if an injury or death claim is dismissed.
Collecting Benefits
After you miss 14 or more consecutive calendar days of work because of your injury, BWC pays for all your missed days. Generally, the board deposits your workers’ compensation payments electronically through a Key Bank Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit card account, unless you provide them with your personal bank account information. The EBT debit card gives you 24-hour funds access wherever MasterCard is accepted.
Workers’ compensation benefits provide valuable support after an on-the-job injury. Through their offices in Columbus, Circleville, and Chillicothe, the attorneys at Agee Clymer Mitchell & Portman offer skilled and aggressive advocacy on behalf of injured workers throughout Central and Southern Ohio. Visit their website to learn more about their workers’ comp law experience or call (614) 221-3318 to schedule a free consultation with a workplace injury attorney today.
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