OhioBWC - Basics: Your rights and responsibilities
Your rights and responsibilities
Our mission at BWC is to provide a quality, customer-focused workers' compensation
insurance system for employers and employees. But we can't do that alone. All
parties involved in the workers' compensation process including employers,
providers and injured workers, must understand their role in making the system work.
Below are your rights and responsibilities as an injured worker.
Remember to use your claim number every time you contact BWC, your managed care organization (MCO) or your self-insuring employer.
Give your claim number to all doctors treating your work-related injury.
Contact the claims service specialist in your local customer service office or your self-insuring employer to answer your questions.
Contact your BWC claims service specialist or your self-insuring employer
if you are offered payment for your injury by an insurance company or anyone
else. Why? Because in some cases, you may be required to repay BWC or your
self-insuring employer for benefits.
You have the right to hire a lawyer at your own expense.
Working while collecting benefits is illegal in most cases. Call BWC right away if you return to work.
No fault insurance for work-related injuries and occupational diseases.
Compensation and medical benefits paid to injured workers at a level competitive with other states.
Right to prompt medical attention funded through the workers' compensation system.
Minimal paperwork for processing claims.
Payment of compensation after the first hearing in contested claims.
Reduces waiting period for payment in contested claims from 12-16 months to under four months.
Right to appeal administrative decisions.
Legislative reform ensures the right to prompt hearings and processing through the administrative appeal process.
