Ask the Claims Manager: Supervisor’s Report of Accident, necessary? – Technologist

QUESTION: Our Vigilant Washington workers’ comp claims manager asked us to provide a Supervisor’s Report of Accident after one of our employees was injured at work. I know our claims manager received all the information about the injury from the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), so why do they also need that information from us?

ANSWER:
Claim validation and accuracy
The supervisor’s report includes the employee’s written statement, in their own words, about what happened; it also includes a marking of the injured body part. This information is vital for the claims manager to validate the claim (i.e. to make sure the information they receive from L&I matches what the employee and supervisor say about the incident).

Maintain incident history
It also helps establish the story of the claim, as the employee’s statement of the incident/injury can change over time. Being able to point back to their original statement is helpful in case they provide different information a few months after the original incident. The supervisor’s report can be vital in containing medical treatment costs that shouldn’t be associated with the workers’ comp injury.

At the ready
The best time to provide the supervisor’s report to your claims manager is immediately after the injury, even if the employee says they won’t be seeking medical treatment at that time. The employee could always change their mind, or seek medical treatment several months after the incident, and you don’t want to lose the opportunity to have your claims manager know the information early in the process. Be sure the supervisor’s report is signed, dated, and sent to your claims manager as soon as possible. This can also speed up getting light duty approved by the doctor and getting your employee back to work to reduce time loss payments.

Minimize costs and return employees to work
Vigilant members, see our Model Form, Supervisor’s Report of Accident for Bodily Injury/Illness, or ask your Vigilant workers’ comp claims manager for a copy. Your claims manager wants to focus on containing claims costs and getting your employees back to work. You can help them by providing information about workplace injuries as soon as they happen. If you have questions about completing the supervisor’s report of accident or how to gather necessary information, please contact your assigned Vigilant Washington workers’ claims manager.