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Kentucky state employees and workers’ compensation protocol

On Behalf of | Feb 1, 2017 | Workers' Compensation

If you are a state employee for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, your employer purchases insurance that covers the cost of medical expenses and lost wages for you if you are injured on the job. Benefits from workers’ compensation insurance are your right in most cases, but they do not automatically begin at the moment of your injury. At Shumate, Flaherty, Eubanks & Baechtold, we often assist injured workers in navigating the process so that they do not miss out on any compensation they are entitled to.

Kentucky Personnel explains that to file a workers’ compensation claim, you may have numerous forms to complete and turn in, and there are deadlines involved. Documents you may need include the following:

  •          First Report of Injury form
  •          Signature page
  •          Prescription form
  •          Accumulated Leave form
  •          Request Reimbursement form
  •          Report of Medical Status

The system is designed to allow you to receive the medical attention you need, so if a trip to the hospital emergency department is necessary, you do not have to stop and fill out forms before going. If the situation is not an emergency, you must notify your supervisor of the injury right away.

After any emergency is resolved, you will have to choose one of the pre-approved doctors, known as gatekeepers. If you do not feel comfortable with the first provider you visit, the Second Designated Physician Form allows you to choose a new one. However, this can only be done once.

A claim representative will be assigned to your case, and it is this person who performs an investigation into your claim, and manages it for you. If you spend any of your own money on medical care or prescriptions, you may submit a form to your representative to receive reimbursement for these expenses. More information about potential issues that may arise after a work-related injury is available on our web page.