Managing Your Dealership’s Workers’ Compensation Claims

Managing Your Dealership’s Workers’ Compensation Claims
November 15, 2017 Andrew Riordan

Many used car dealers or auto shops don’t always have set procedures in place for workplace injuries or accidents. Some smaller shops may have the misconception that only franchise dealerships need incident reporting plans and set procedures. No matter how big or small your business, having a safety plan in place before any injury occurs is how an organization can effectively and efficiently manage their claims.

Several injuries, even the minor ones, must be reported as soon as possible. The report can come from a supervisor, a manager or owner. An injury reporting plan is your first defense when managing your dealership’s workers’ compensation claims frequency and severity. Untreated and unresolved injuries may turn into larger claims later and that’s why all injuries must be reported by an appointed person, treated and well documented.

Your injury reporting plan must precisely define what the injured employee or other employees should do if an employee is injured on the job. Several first aid stations and safety kits must be easily accessible to all employees. It’s your responsibility to give immediate medical treatment to an injured person.

If your employee needs to see a doctor and does not require an ambulance, you can have a plan in place to get them to a nearby hospital or clinic. Your injury procedures must include an impromptu plan of how to determine the scope and severity of that particular injury and whether that person needs to be taken to an emergency ward.

In most cases, the sooner medical help arrives, the better the treatment outcome. Any medical treatment can easily increase the workers’ compensation claim costs in the long run. So if your injured employee refuses any medical help, make sure that the refusal is well documented too…

Once you report a claim, you may still take the steps to minimize your total claim costs. Light duty or modified duty programs will help lower your overall claim costs by eliminating the total disability payments. You must also make sure that injured employee is medically cleared for the light or modified duty before allowing the employee back to work.

A workers’ compensation insurance policy for your employees is not only necessary by law, but it is very beneficial to your overall costs and stability of your company. Make sure your employees are reported by the proper workers’ comp class codes.

Also, check out our posts on starting a used car dealership and ways to protect your auto shop.  And, make sure your business is full covered with the proper used car dealership insurance or auto shop insurance.

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