Ohio workers who are injured on the job or suffer an occupational disease, can request medical benefits, and if applicable, compensation by filing a workers' compensation claim. Survivors of a worker who is deceased due to a job-related accident or occupational disease can also file a claim to request death benefits.

Who can file a claim?

• Medical Provider
• Injured worker
• Employer
• Authorized Representative
• Any interested party, such as a spouse

How do you file a claim?

Medical provider

If the medical provider treating the injury files a claim, the provider will submit it to BWC, by filing it online or by submitting it to the managed care organization (MCO) within 24-hours of the worker's visit.

Note: MCOs are companies that specialize in managing medical treatment for work-related injuries. An MCO is not the same as the employer's health insurance provider.

Injured worker, employer, authorized representative, or another interested party

If the injured worker, employer, authorized representative, or another interested party files the claim, they can submit it in one of the following ways.

• Online: Complete the First Report of Injury, Occupational Disease or Death (FROI).
• Mail or Fax: Print the (FROI), complete it, and then submit it to BWC by mail or fax to 866-336-8352. Be aware that mailing a claim form can slow down the processing time.
• Phone: Call BWC at 800-644-6292 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (EST) or a local BWC customer service office. The customer service representative will ask the questions needed to complete the form and will submit it. 
• Important: There is not a 24-hour time limit for a worker or third party as there is with a doctor to file the claim.

What are the time limits (statute of limitations) to file a claim? 

Injury or death due to injury claim – Occurring on or after Sept. 29, 2017

• A claimant must file a notice of injury or death with BWC or the Ohio Industrial Commission (IC) within one year of the injury or death.

Occupational disease or death due to occupational disease claim – Occurring before Sept. 28, 2021

A claimant must file a notice of injury or death due to an occupational disease:

• Within two years after death OR
• Two years from the most recent of the following dates (all three dates must have occurred before the statute of limitations begins to run)
  • The date the employee first became aware, through medical diagnosis, that they are suffering from an occupational related disease OR
  • The date the employee first received medical treatment for such disease OR
  • The date the employee first quit work due to the disease 
• For a period beyond the two-year requirement, but within six months after the date of diagnosis of a disease, as occupationally related by a licensed physician

Occupational disease or death due to occupational disease claim – Occurring on or after Sept. 28, 2021

A claimant must file a notice of injury or death due to an occupational disease:

• Within one year after death OR
• One year from the most recent of the following dates (all three dates must have occurred before the statute of limitations begins to run)
  • The date the employee first became aware, through medical diagnosis, that they are suffering from an occupational related disease OR
  • The date the employee first received medical treatment for such disease OR
  • The date the employee first quit work due to the disease OR
• For a period beyond the one-year requirement, but within six months after the date of diagnosing the disease, as occupationally related by a licensed physician.

Emergency management workers

A claimant who is an emergency management worker, or the emergency management worker's dependent, must file a notice of injury or death with BWC or the OIC:

• Within one year of the date of injury or death OR
• If the emergency management worker filed an injury claim within one year of an injury, and the emergency management worker subsequently dies from that injury within six months after the date of death.

How are the injured worker, employer, and if applicable, their authorized representatives notified that a claim has been filed?

Once we receive the claim, the injured worker will receive a notification letter and a BWC ID card in the mail. This is usually within a few days of the claim filing. The employer, and if applicable, all authorized representatives, will also receive notification that a claim has been filed. 

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