The first steps
Tell your employer about the injury as soon as you can, in writing if possible, and keep a copy, because New York expects notice within a short period. When you get medical care, tell the provider the injury happened at work, and use a provider authorized by the Workers' Compensation Board unless it is an emergency. You file your own claim with the Board, separately from any report your employer makes, and you should not assume the employer has done it for you. Occupational illnesses follow a similar path, though the date that starts the clock is often less obvious. Filing deadlines exist, so delay rarely helps.
Keeping the claim on track
After a claim is filed, the employer's carrier decides whether to accept it, pay part of it, or contest it, and the Board notifies you of hearings when there is a dispute. Track every day you miss work and every appointment, and keep copies of medical reports, since your doctor's description of your work ability drives wage replacement. If you return to work at reduced hours or a lower wage, partial benefits may be available, so report those changes. Answer letters from the Board and the carrier promptly, and keep a copy of anything you send. A recorded statement to an adjuster deserves care, because it may be used later.
When to get help
Many straightforward claims proceed without much conflict, but help is often useful when the carrier contests the claim, stops payments, disputes a body part or a diagnosis, or asks for an independent medical examination. We review the claim file, medical support, and wage information, and check whether the average weekly wage was calculated correctly. If someone outside your employer contributed to the accident, we look at whether a separate claim should be preserved. Bring your claim number, the accident report, medical records, and pay records from before the injury.
