Your company’s workers’ compensation insurance is provided by the Alabama Self Insured Worker’s Compensation Fund. Claims service is provided by Employer’s Claim Management, Inc. If you have questions concerning your workers’ compensation program, please call Employer’s Claim Management for assistance.
Any work related injury is a workers’ compensation claim. For this reason, all employees should be instructed to report all work related injuries, no matter how minor, to their immediate supervisor as soon as possible. The supervisor is responsible for informing the proper management person as soon as possible. This person is then responsible for reporting the injury to Employer’s Claim Management. Inc. using the State of Alabama Employer’s First Report of Injury or occupation disease form.
If an injury requires off premises medical treatment:
1. Treatment must be provided by the Company Authorized Physician or Clinic.
2. All referrals to specialists must be authorized by Employer’s Claim Management, Inc. (800)-392-2551.
3. In the event of an emergency, call 911 or other emergency services as soon as possible.
4. Be sure Post Injury Drug Testing procedures are followed for all employees.
Complete an Employer’s First Report work related injures, even if the employee does not seek treatment. Example: An employee states they have strained their shoulder, but they don’t want to go for medical treatment. In this situation, complete the First Report of Injury form and at the top of the form mark it as “For Record Only”. Then send the form to Employer’s Claim Management, Inc. When received, the claim will be investigated and filed for future reference. If later the injured employee needs to go for medical treatment, contact Employer’s Claim Management, Inc. for servicing the claim.
Be sure the company Drug and/or Alcohol Testing Procedures are enforced as specified by the company’s written policy. It is critical that screens for substance abuse be administered when the employees seeks initial medical treatment. Employees must also be informed in advance, in writing that the refusal to cooperate with a test and/or a positive test result may have an impact on the availability of workers’ compensation benefits.
All claims should be reported to Employers’ Claim Management Inc.immediately and in writing. Any claim that involves severe injury such as amputation, head trauma, death, etc., should also be reported to Employer’s Claim Management immediately by telephone at (800)-392-2551
Claims are filed by social security number and employee name. When calling about a specific claim, provide the receptionist with the social security number and name of the employee and they will connect you with the adjuster assigned to the claim.
If you need assistance with your workers’ compensation program, contact ECMI:
Phone: (800) 392-1551
(334) 277-9395
Claim Reporting Purpose:
Prompt claim reporting is essential and beneficial to all parties involved (employee, employer, and insurance carrier). State requirements also mandate the prompt reporting of employee injuries. The Employer’s First Report of Injury form is used to satisfy this requirement (see back page).
Procedure:
1. Work related injuries will be reported to Employer’s Clam Management using the Employer’s First Report of Injury form.
Employer’s Claim Management, Inc.
PO Box 5614
Montgomery, Alabama 36103
2. The First Report of Injury form should be completed and forwarded to Employer’s Claim Management within 48 Hours of being made aware of the injury.
3. For accidents involving death or severe injury such as amputation or head trauma, a telephone report should be made as soon immediately, followed by a completed First Report of Injury.
Company Authorized Physician
A workers’ compensation claim can be properly managed through good communication involving the employee, employer, insurance carrier and the treating physician. The employer’s right to direct medical treatment is a statutory right. It is important to the claims management process and should be utilized at all times. For this reason the following policy regarding company authorized physicians has been established.
Procedure:
1. If an employee injury is incurred and medical treatment by a physician is necessary, a company authorized physician will be utilized. Instructions for seeking initial medical treatment should be provided by management or other designated persons.
2. At the present time, the company authorized physician is as follows:
Name:
Address:
Phone Number:
3. In the event an injured employee’s initial treatment is performed by a hospital, emergency room, clinic or physician not authorized by the company, the employee may be asked to be evaluated by the company authorized physician. This situation might occur if an employee is injured after regular working hours and/or at a job site where the company authorized physician is not readily accessible. If additional medical treatment is necessary, the company authorized physician should be utilized.
4. All referral physicians will be selected by Employer’s Claim Management, Inc. 800-392-1551
Post Injury Drug Testing
An injured employee who is intoxicated from the use of alcohol or impaired by illegal drugs may be denied compensation benefits if a causal relationship between the injury and the impairment and/or intoxication can be established. Workers’ compensation benefits can also be impacted if the injured employee refuses to submit to or cooperate with a blood or urine test after the accident, after being warned in writing. For this reason, the following post injury drug testing policy and procedure have been established.
Procedure:
1. Prior to the start of work activities, all new employees will receive training regarding the company Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy. This will include a review of the established policy, procedure and the signing of required acknowledgments and/or training documentation.
2. Employees will be subject to post injury drug testing as specified by the company Drug and Alcohol Testing policy. For example; after a work related injury requiring off premises medical treatment.
Modified Duty / Return to Work
Procedure:
Prior to an employee injury:
1. The company authorized physician should be made aware that the company has a Modified Duty/Return to Work Program.
After an employee injury has been incurred:
1. Every effort will be made to provide modified duty to any and all injured employee released to modified duty by the treating physician.
2. Management should remind both the treating physician and the insurance claim adjuster that modified duty will be made available.
3. If the injured employee has difficulty completing modified duty work assignments, the employer should contact the insurance company adjuster as soon as possible and the employee referred back to the treating physician so that work restrictions can be modified.
