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Why you should call about an injury if you think you already know what to do.

Sometimes the injury process can be confusing. It is important to call NHADA regarding a work related injury because we may remind you of something you didn't think of.

Our members are amazing! They listen at our trainings and they honestly want to do the right thing when it comes to Workers Comp. Some know the drill so well that they may not call us about the injury but rather just send in the required paperwork. In this case they haven’t done anything wrong but there is more to that initial call then just reporting an injury. 

When someone is injured at work and it is not a life-or-death emergency members should phone us to report the injury and get assistance with an in-network referral. Even if the injured worker doesn’t want to seek medical treatment, we still want to hear from you.

Reasons to Call NHADA Regarding a Work Related Injury

Reporting the injury to NHADA.

During this call we get the information from you about what happened and the details on the injury. This is where the paper trail starts. The call allows us to start to managing a claim even before your paperwork arrives. Early interventions with workers comp lead to better outcomes. We keep detailed notes on these calls and if a First Report of Injury doesn’t arrive promptly, we give you a call to remind and assist with the filing, which can avoid late filing fines from the Department of Labor. 

Assisting with network treatment.

All NHADA – WCT members are part of our managed care program and treatment needs to be within the managed care network. The call to us at the time of the injury allows us to assist with this. There are some rare instances where out of network treatment may be allowed; we can help with this as well. We have built firm relationships with local occupational health and specialty providers which allows us to make same day referrals for treatment. During COVID-19 some treatment options may be busier than others and your call to us will allow us to provide options for the injured worker to avoid long wait times. 

Options and cost containment.

Often those that have suffered an injury think the best place, no matter what the nature of the injury is, is the emergency room for treatment. Emergency rooms are for emergencies; and if you are not in a life-or-death situation, they are not the place to go. Unnecessary emergency treatment is costly and it slows the care for those that truly need it. A simple laceration that requires sutures may bill out at an occupational medicine provider at approximately $300-$500; that same treatment at an emergency room can run well over $1,500 not to mention the time lost from work due the long wait times.

No treatment? Still call!

Even if the injured worker does not want medical treatment, we still want to hear from you! Sometime during these calls, we can identify certain reason treatment should be sought; such as the need for a tetanus shot, the time frame for sutures, or the decision to seek treatment now at an occupational health provider just in case vs the middle of the night in the emergency room.

Temporary Alternative Duty.

Since we have started to manage the claim after your call, we are able to get the NH Workers Compensation Medical Form from the injured workers treatment visit and review for the return-to-work plan. In most cases an injured worker is released to light duty; we can help you with this. “Full duty or no duty” is a common misconception; but accommodating temporary alternative duty is easier than you would think and it saves the employer money. Not accommodating light duty makes a lost time claim, which will drive up your experience modification factor. The NHADA-WCT staff is well versed in light duty options in the automotive industry and we can assist you with getting the injured worker back to work.

Does OSHA need to know?

During the call we may identify a reason the employer would need to notify OSHA of the injury and this can be time sensitive. Some injuries may also prompt a visit from OSHA to investigate the incident. If this is the case, our Loss Prevention department can arrange a visit to help you prepare you for and support you throughout the OSHA investigation.

Still more questions.

Think of a workers comp injury and claim as a bit of a puzzle. There are many pieces that need to be put together. Each member of the NHADA-WCT claims team has a role in collecting these pieces. Although we all work together, each member of the team has a separate role. Justin will be investigating, Deb will be working on light duty, Marta will be collecting medical information, and Pete reviewing it all. During this call we may also identify other information the member needs to provide us with that will assist in managing the claim. This could include second injury fund information, wage information and video surveillance and more. Getting what we need as soon as possible allows us to better manage the claim for you.

What about those bills?

When we are aware of an injury through the call from our members and know where the injured worker is going for treatment, we can reach out to the provider to make sure they have the correct billing information. This helps prevent the billing going to the wrong carrier or to the patient. A common mishap occurs when the injured worker receives the bill and throws it away because they think NHADA got it as well. When in reality, the provider sent it to the patient because they didn’t know where else to send it. This can lead to injured workers being sent to collections and delays in closing claims.

Other NHADA assistance offerings.

Another great reason for the call is that we may have more to offer you! During the call we might have the opportunity to chat with you about online filing if you haven’t tried it yet. Maybe there are some new HR employees or new managers that in your organization that would benefit from a visit from Deb to review the filing process. If you have been meaning to arrange CPR training, NHADA can help you with that as well as many other questions you may have for us. This call doesn’t have to just be about the injured worker; we are here for our members.

Whether you are reporting an injury or want to learn more, give us a call at 800-852-3372. We want to hear from you!