Workman's Compensation Insurance Requirements in Indiana

Indiana workers' compensation law covers employees who are injured in the course of normal employment.worker image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com

Indiana's workers' compensation laws are designed to protect employees who are injured on the job. Also known by the term "workman's comp," workers' compensation insurance pays benefits to injured workers to cover medical expenses, wage replacement if the person is out of work because of injury, and continuing benefits for permanent disability arising from the work injury.

Requirements for Employees

Employees in Indiana must follow procedural guidelines to qualify to receive workers' compensation insurance benefits for an injury at work. You should report any work injury to a manager or supervisor immediately, even if you do not think the injury is severe enough to require medical treatment. Request a copy of the accident report that will be prepared by your manager or supervisor. Attend all medical appointments scheduled by the employer's workers' compensation insurance carrier. Non-compliance with procedures for medical treatment of your injury may jeopardize monetary and medical benefits associated with your workers' compensation case.

Employers are required to purchase and maintain a workers' compensation insurance policy. Indiana law requires that posters be displayed in the workplace notifying employees of the workers' compensation insurance that has been purchased. These posters are available in English and Spanish. In the event of an injury, the employer is required to file a First Report Of Injury with the Indiana Workers' Compensation Board. If an injured employee is released to return to work with restrictions placed on his physical activity, the employer cannot ask the employee to perform any work duties that violate those restrictions. An employer is forbidden by Indiana law from taking any retaliatory action against an employee for filing a workers' compensation claim.

Indiana law states that the workers' compensation insurance carrier must inform the injured worker of the decision regarding the claim within 30 days of the date the claim was filed. The carrier must abide by the decision of the Indiana Workers' Compensation Board if a claim is disputed, and it must comply with all time limits and deadlines outlined by Indiana workers' compensation law. In the event of a suspected or actual permanent disability caused by a work injury, the workers' compensation insurance carrier must pay a physician of the injured worker's choice to perform an impairment rating regarding the injury.