Hurt on the Job: How Workers Comp Works

How does workers comp work?

The system runs on a short chain of steps, and each one has rules. Miss a step and the insurer has a reason to say no.

1. Call us for a free case review. An attorney who handles cases in your state gets on it right away.
2. Tell your employer in writing. Give the date, the time and what happened.
3. Get treated. See a doctor your state's rules allow, and keep every record.
4. Collect wage checks. Checks start after a short waiting period if the claim is accepted.
5. Go back to work. Your doctor sets when you return and with what limits.
6. Close the claim. It ends with full pay, a settlement, or your state's limit.

Notice deadlines are short. Texas wants your employer told within 30 days, and Illinois allows 45 days. Michigan gives 90 days, but Nevada wants written notice within 7 days.

Pennsylvania is strict too. Report within 21 days for full back pay, and after 120 days you get no benefits.

Filing the claim itself has a longer clock. Texas, Ohio and Georgia each set one year, while New York and Virginia set two years. The date counter below shows your notice and claim deadlines from your injury date.

Getting medical care for the injury

Workers comp pays for care tied to your work injury once the claim is accepted. That covers the visits and treatment the approved doctor orders.

Some states make you start with a doctor the employer or insurer picks. Ask which doctors are approved before your first visit. Care from a doctor outside the rules may not be paid.

Tell every doctor the injury happened at work. Keep copies of each visit note, bill and work slip. Those papers prove your workers comp claim later.

An insurer may send you to its own doctor. Read about the independent medical exam before you go. Care goes on until you reach maximum medical improvement.

When the wage checks start

Checks do not start on day one. Most states hold back a short waiting period, then pay that time back if you stay out long enough.

In New York, the first 7 days go unpaid unless you are out more than 14 days. Georgia says your first check should be mailed within 21 days after the first day you missed work.

California starts checks once your doctor says you can't do your usual work for more than three days. After that, payments must come every two weeks.

To see the weekly amount, read what workers comp should pay you each week. If a check is late, call us first. Then read what to do when your payments stopped.

Going back to work

Your doctor decides when you can return and what limits apply. Get those limits in writing before your first shift.

Your employer may offer lighter work inside those limits. Turning it down can cut your checks, so learn your rights on light duty first.

When the job and your limits don't match, call us before you say yes or no. If you are fired after you report, that can be retaliation. Read about being fired while on workers comp.

How the claim ends

A workers compensation claim closes in one of three ways. You return at full pay, you settle, or you reach your state's limit.

If an injury leaves lasting damage, a doctor may give you an impairment rating. That rating can shape what you are owed for permanent loss. Learn how long workers comp lasts in your state.

A settlement is a deal, and once you sign it, it is usually final. Before you accept, call us for a free review of the offer. Then read about workers comp settlements.

When the insurer says no at any step, call us first. Then read what to do when a claim is denied.

Reviewed 9/3/2026