Workers’ Compensation Lawyers FAQs

Q: How does an injured worker in Ohio file a workers’ compensation claim?

A: According to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Web site,an injured worker can file a claim by manually completing the First Report of Injury (FROI) and mailing it to any BWC service office, or the FROI can be completed online.

Most Ohio workers’ compensation claims are filed by the managed care organization (MCO) after being notified of the work-related injury or occupational disease by the health-care provider or the employer. If you have been treated for a work-related injury, a claim may have been filed for you already. To check this you may contact BWC.

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Q: When did workers’ compensation laws originate?

A: Workers' Compensation laws were enacted to reduce the need for litigation, and to mitigate the requirement that injured workers prove their injuries were their employer's "fault". The first state law was passed in Maryland in 1902, and the first law covering federal employees was passed in 1906. By 1949, all states had enacted some kind of workers' compensation program.

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Q: Who is entitled to workers’ compensation?

A: In the United States most employees who are injured on the job have an absolute right to medical care for that injury, and in many cases, monetary payments to compensate for resulting temporary or permanent disabilities.

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Q: Where does the money to pay injured workers come from?

A: Most employers are required to subscribe to insurance for workers' compensation, and an employer who does not may have financial penalties imposed. In many states, there are public uninsured employer funds to pay benefits to workers employed by companies who illegally fail to purchase insurance. Insurance policies are available to employers through commercial insurance companies: if the employer is deemed an excessive risk to insure at market rates, it can obtain coverage through an assigned-risk program.

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Q: Why do I need a workers’ compensation lawyer?

A: If you've been injured, you need a product defect lawyer:

1. To protect your rights
2. To make sure you get the medical treatment you may need even if you cannot pay for it up-front
3. To help you file the related property damage claim
4. To negotiate with insurance carriers to make sure you get the amount of compensation that you will need to pick up the pieces and get your life back on track as quickly as possible