Injured again while on WC

LC

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 07-28-03 AT 04:08PM (CST)[/font][p]One of our employees was off duty on WC. While off, he visited a training facility and incurred a new injury that was entirely his fault. We contract with the facility and they allow our employees free access at all times. Question: Was this a new WC claim? We did not turn it is as such.

Does anyone have a policy that address what an employee can and can not do while off on STD/LTD or WC? For example do you allow an ee that is off to use your workout room or off site facilities?

Balloonman

Actually if at some point the new non-work related injury keeps him from returning to work but he would have been back from the other injury you can stop the ttd payments. Things like this happen. Just because you are out on WC does not mean you no longer have a life. (This proves I have come a long way in the last 10 years :-) ) If say he had a foot injury and was lifting working out the upper body then I would not have a problem with it as long as he is not violating his restriction.
My $0.02
DJ The Balloonman

mwild31

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 08-05-03 AT 07:32PM (CST)[/font][p]On the other hand x:-)

We had an employee that injured his neck at work - we accomodated his light duty work restrictions only to find out the 'turkey' was out riding motorbikes off road on the weekends! First off, contact the claims manager and share your concern, in WA, the restrictions are 24/7 - not all people know that. Since the injury has already occured - make sure the claims manager knows that as well as your worker comp. company/agency. Your worker comp. person can watch the claims and make sure that the treatment is in regards to the original work injury and does not become all inclusive - do this right away or you could end up with a big surprise come experience factor time. As to policy, there are a lot of light duty policies out there - in fact some on the forum have said they have one available. Just my thoughts...

njjel

I'd take the easy way out and contact your comp carrier and ask them the question. It will be up to them to accept or deny the claim anyway.