OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION

Pub. 3 2021 Issue 2

What-Happens-After-Reporting-an-Injury

What Happens After Reporting an Injury?

This story appears in the
Drive: NH Magazine Pub. 3 2021 Issue 2

Many of our members have already begun using the HIPPA compliant online First Report of Injury (FROI). We have received positive feedback and helpful suggestions on improving the experience. The online FROI can be found here at https://bit.ly/3sqNk7v. Supporting documents such as the New Hampshire Workers’ Compensation Medical Form, accident reports, witness statements, etc., can be uploaded with the FROI.

If the injured employee seeks medical attention, they should receive a New Hampshire Workers’ Compensation Medical Form from the in-network provider after every visit. This form is designed to keep the employer informed on the injured employee’s work capacity and medical status. It should document when the employee can return to work and list the employee’s restrictions if any.

In case of a life-threatening emergency, call 911. Otherwise, please remind the injured employee that they should return to their employment place with the New Hampshire Workers’ Compensation Medical Form after they seek medical attention. In addition to the Human Resource Dept., the immediate supervisor should be aware of the medical form’s information. They are most likely the person who will designate what tasks they assign to the injured employee.

If the employee does not return immediately after seeking medical attention, please follow up with them. In addition to gathering the information, you need to run your operation. Checking in on the injured employee demonstrates concern for their well-being, which could reduce the amount of time spent out of work. I would venture to say that most of us would appreciate an employer that cares about our welfare.

The NH Workers’ Compensation Statute requires the medical providers to submit the form to insurance carriers within ten days of the first treatment, but sometimes they fail to comply. We would appreciate it if you could forward the medical form to our Nurse Case Manager, Marta Silakka at msilakka@nhada.com, or fax it to (603) 224-8126.

We strongly urge members to contact Marta Silakka before the injured employee seeks medical attention. Marta can refer the injured employee to an in-network provider that’s most appropriate for the situation. As a member of the NHADA WCT, you are a participant in an approved Managed Care Program. The Windham Group Network of Providers can be found on our website at nhada.com/our-solutions/workers-comp/managed-care .

If the injury meets certain criteria, our Claims Adjuster, Justin Dowdy, will contact the employer and the injured employee. He will conduct an interview with the employee to determine what additional information we need to process the claim. The interview process also allows Justin to explain in detail what the injured employee should expect with regard to the process and provides the employee with the opportunity to receive answers to the questions they may have.

If you have any questions regarding the workers’ comp process, we are available to help. Deborah can be reached at
603-224-2369 ext. 340 or dhandrahan@nhada.com.