A best practice for claims management consists of early contact to all parties involved in an injury. Our current practice is to contact the employer, then contact a Labor & Industries (L&I) claim manager, followed up by a call or email to a medical and/or vocational professional.

So, who contacts the injured worker?

The first contact an injured worker receives is a form letter from L&I. Imagine having an injury at work and the first communication you receive is a form letter stating your claim is under review and you may or may not be covered. AWC Retro staff now contacts injured workers by phone with restrictions to their job of injury.

AWC Retro staff now contacts injured workers by phone who have restrictions to their job of injury.

High marks on our audit, with an interesting suggestion

Last year’s AWC Retro claims management audit found our claims management, processes and communications to be first rate. A recommendation was made to consider injured worker contact. Retro staff took that recommendation to heart and received training from a nationally-known disability management company to improve communication with injured workers.

A focus of this training is “Work Disability.” Work Disability is a separate condition to the claim where an injured worker develops a mindset preventing them from returning to transitional work. With this training fresh in our minds, staff will make up to three contacts to the injured worker. This additional contact should help injured workers be more open to light duty work, which is beneficial for both the employer and employee.

Phone calls to injured workers with restrictions begins now

Before we make an outreach phone call to your first injured worker in 2019, our claims staff will notify the employer, giving you a heads up. We look forward to working with each of you and your employees should they be injured on the job in 2019. For more information, please contact your AWC Retro claim manager.