If you run a small business with a few employees, you must protect yourself with several different types of business insurance, including workers' compensation in case someone gets injured on the job. If you face a compensation claim from a worker, you need to manage it as effectively as possible to avoid getting sued and to ensure no major financial disruption to your business at a later date. Follow these steps:

Have A Defined Process For Injury Reporting

First and foremost, make sure you set a defined process for employees to report any injuries sustained at work. This should include a detailed plan of who the employee needs to report the injury to, the type of injury sustained, the place where the injury was sustained, how the injury came about and much more. In most cases, the injury should be reported to the immediate supervisor before the claim is sent to the insurance company.

Report The Incident To The Insurer Immediately

While employees are expected to inform their supervisors about any workplace injuries, your responsibility is to inform your insurer immediately. This allows the insurer to thoroughly investigate the claim and ensure claim costs are mitigated as much as possible. Any delay in reporting the incident could result in the insurer denying certain claims from employees. The employee, in turn, may choose to raise a lawsuit against you to cover his or her medical costs.

Make Sure Your Employee Gets Instant Medical Attention

Any delay in providing medical attention could result in the injury worsening, which could result in a lawsuit against your business. Make sure that any reported injuries are attended to immediately by a medical professional for a speedy diagnosis. You will need to assign all medical needs to a local health clinic that will provide care to your employees in the event of a workplace injury. The health clinic should ideally be close to your business operations for quick medical assistance.

Be Open With Communication

Open communication between the employee, insurer and employer is the best way to manage a worker's compensation claim. This ensures the employee receives good medical assistance by following the process. Clear communication can reduce several issues that could end up being expensive for your business. Make sure your employees know what to expect when it comes to paying for medical treatment, reimbursements and payroll changes.  

Workers' compensation claims should not be taken lightly. It's always good to have a lawyer help you draw up a defined process for employees to follow in the event of an injury. Contact a law firm like Hoffmans Injury Lawyers to learn more about workers compensation law.