CRITICAL 24 HOURS
24
The First
T
he moment an injury occurs, it
initiates a sequence of events
that can last for weeks or even
months. But no matter how
prolonged the recovery period,
the first 24 hours after an injury are the
most crucial. To respond effectively to an
incident, the majority of the action items
should occur within 24 hours.
Your supervisors may already be
experienced in handling injuries. Still, a
clearly defined 24-hour injury response
plan will help them provide even more
effective and consistent responses and
ensure that supervisors and employees
know what to expect when someone is
injured. The plan will also provide the
necessary guidance when experienced
supervisors are not immediately available
to respond to an accident or injury.
THE FIRST 24 HOURS AFTER AN INJURY
ARE CRITICAL
Injured employees may feel worried about
keeping their jobs, worried about their
health, and frustrated or confused by
company policies. A rapid response plan
turns a potentially negative event into a
more manageable scenario for you and the
employee by addressing their concerns up
front, helping them get the care they need,
and lowering claims costs.
Organizations that work with injured
employees — such as the American
Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons — and
4
Hours
After An Injury
those that work with risk management
for organizations — such as the Public
Entity Risk Institute — agree that prompt
and thorough action promotes the best
outcomes for everyone involved. The lag
between when an injury occurs and the
reporting of that injury has a significant
effect on both the time it takes to close the
claim and the final cost of the claim.
A stu dy published by the Hartford
Financial Services Group found the
following:
• Claims reported during the second
week after an occurrence had an
average settlement value that was 18
percent higher than that for claims
reported during the first week.
• Waiting until the third or fourth week
resulted in claims costs that were
about 30 percent higher.
•
•
Claims that were not reported until
one month after the occurrence were
typically 45 percent higher.
According to the study, back injuries
were particularly sensitive to delayed
reporting. Waiting just one week to
report a back injury typically results in
a 40 percent increase in the ultimate
cost of the claim.
COMMON REASONS FOR DELAYED
REPORTING
The most common reason for delayed
reporting is that the injured party believes
the pain will go away. This creates
problems as most injuries that are not
addressed immediately take longer to
heal. The second most common reason
for delayed reporting is a lack of employee
training. Approximately 97 percent of
employees injured on the job do not know
what process to follow; in many cases, they
will go to their own doctor rather than
“THE LAG
BETWEEN
WHEN AN
INJURY OCCURS
AND WHEN ITS
REPORTED HAS
A SIGNIFICANT
EFFECT ON BOTH
THE TIME IT TAKES
TO CLOSE THE
CLAIM AND ITS
FINAL COST .”