When you’ve been injured at work, filing a workers’ comp claim is an essential part of the process of getting back on your feet. The compensation owed to you is meant to cover your injury-related losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and your pain and suffering.
However, getting this compensation isn’t an instant process — you might be left waiting for weeks or even months. During the time you’re waiting, living expenses can pile up quickly, especially when you’re not bringing in income. If you’re getting anxious about the status of your claim, here are the ways you can check on its status:
Utilize Online Claim Lookup Databases
The internet should be the first place you check for the status of your claim, as it can be a relatively simple process. Some states have databases that allow users to look up the status of workers’ comp claims, such as:
- Connecticut’s Claim Lookup from the Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission
- New York’s eCase from the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board
- California’s Case Search from the Division of Workers’ Compensation
Most of these databases function in a similar way. You enter basic details about the claim you’re searching for, such as the claimant’s name or the claim number, as well as additional details that can narrow the results further, such as the date of the injury.
If you can’t find your case online, you can try checking a few days later in case the database is updated. However, if your state doesn’t have an easily-accessible case lookup system, you may be better off asking your employer’s insurer.
Ask Your Employer’s Insurer
Given that your workers’ comp claim heavily involves your employer, you might assume that you can ask them for updates to the case. If you try that, you’ll likely find that they’re as clueless as you. They’re not the ones involved in processing your claim — it’s their insurance company.
Your employer’s insurer should be able to give you information about the status of your case. It’s important to remember, however, that they’re on their own side, not yours. At the end of the day, their goal is to minimize the compensation they have to pay you. To that end, they may drag their feet and delay giving you information or even mislead you entirely. If you’re not confident in correctly handling these interactions, it’s best to leave it to a work injury lawyer who has experience in communicating and negotiating with insurance companies.
For Disability Claims: Contact the Social Security Office
If your work injury resulted in a disability, you can file a Social Security disability claim after filing your initial claim. If you’re interested in finding out the status of your Social Security claim, you can contact the Social Security Office where you filed your claim.
The office will be able to connect you to your disability examiner, who’ll be able to give you a status update. Your disability examiner won’t be able to provide you with an accurate timeline for the rest of the process or information about the outcome of your claim, but they’ll be able to advise you if there’s anything you can do to speed up the process.
If you’re a registered user on the Social Security Administration website, you can also check the status of your claim online.
Once your claim has been submitted for a hearing, the local Social Security Office will no longer be able to provide you with information. If you want to check on your claim’s status during this phase, contact your local hearing office.
Navigate the Process With a Skilled Personal Injury Lawyer
Navigating the process of a workers’ comp claim can be difficult to do alone, especially when you’re still recovering from your injuries. Workers Compensation lawyers are dedicated to providing assistance to victims of work injuries — we can help you check the status of your claim, identify possible complications, and understand what’s going on at every step of the process.
