Review this checklist. Use it after any Ohio workplace injury. Check off each item as you complete it. Missing even one of these steps may weaken your claim — or end it entirely.
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The Most Critical Window
Report the injury immediately. Tell your supervisor and at least one co-worker right away. Do not wait until the next day.
Delayed reporting gives employers grounds to dispute whether the injury happened at work.
Complete a written incident report. Ask for the employer’s injury incident form, fill it out completely, and keep a signed copy for yourself. Alternatively, use your phone and take a picture of your completed incident report.
Go to an emergency room or urgent care. Do not wait for the workday to end. Do not hope the pain gets better over the weekend.
Tell every medical provider you were injured at work and describe in detail how you were hurt. Say it clearly to the paramedic, nurse, PA, and doctor. This information must appear in your medical records.
List every injured body part — including the minor ones. Tell the provider about every area that hurts, even if it seems insignificant at the time.
Body parts not reported at and contained in initial treatment records can be permanently barred from inclusion in your Ohio BWC claim.
Take photographs. Photograph any visible injuries, the accident scene, and the equipment or machinery involved. Do this before anything is moved or cleaned up. If you are unable to do so, ask a co-worker.
Get a co-worker’s written statement. Ask a co-worker to write down what they saw — or how you appeared before and after the injury. Include their name, phone number, and their signature.
Tell your doctor everything — describe every pain, every limitation, every affected body part. Doctors write what you tell them. If you minimize your symptoms, your medical records will minimize them too — and the BWC will use that against you.
Understated symptoms in initial records become permanent evidence against your claim.
Secure Your Claim
Confirm a FROI has been filed. Verify that a First Report of Injury was submitted to the BWC. If not, file one yourself at info.bwc.ohio.gov or call (800) 644-6292.
Get your BWC claim number. Contact the BWC if it has not arrived within a few days. Every order and payment is tied to this number.
Without a claim number, your claim does not legally exist.
Create a BWC e-account. Go to bwc.ohio.gov to create an online account so you can monitor all claim activity and see every order as it is issued.
Identify your MCO. Find out which Managed Care Organization has been assigned to your claim. Get their contact information — they control medical treatment authorizations (C-9 forms).
Follow up with your doctor. Make sure your physician of record is BWC-certified. Document all symptoms at every visit — every body part, every level of pain.
Request your injured worker identification card. This card confirms your BWC claim exists and can be shown to medical providers to ensure treatment is billed correctly to workers’ comp, not your personal health insurance.
Contact a workers’ compensation attorney for a free consultation. Mike Gruhin personally responds to every new inquiry. Call (216) 861-5555 or contact us online.
Protect Your Rights Going Forward
Read every BWC or IC order you receive — immediately. Calendar the 14-day appeal window the moment any order arrives.
Missing the 14-day appeal deadline makes any order permanent and final.
Verify your FWW and AWW are set correctly. Check your compensation rate against your actual pay stubs. The BWC frequently miscalculates wages. An error here lowers every payment for the life of your claim.
Attend all medical appointments. Never miss one without rescheduling. "No Show" entries in your medical record are used against you at hearings.
Start a written pain diary. Date, pain level (1–10), activities affected, medications taken. This becomes critical evidence if your claim is disputed.
Save every document in one folder. Letters, orders, check stubs, medical bills, and all envelopes from the BWC and IC. The postmark on envelopes proves when it was mailed. Write the date you received each letter on the envelope and keep the document inside it.
Do NOT give recorded or written statements to your employer or their attorney. Not without first speaking with your own attorney. Tell them that you want to consult with your attorney before you give any verbal or written statements.
Do NOT post about your injury or activities on social media. Employers and BWC investigators actively monitor social media. Even innocent posts can be used to challenge your claim, the extent of your injuries, and just about anything else related to your Ohio BWC claim.