A worker who believes that he or she has been injured must report an injury within 90 days of the injury. Iowa law does not have to submit anything in writing or fill out any form, either a form provided by the employer or by the State of Iowa. The Iowa Code merely requires that someone in a position of responsibility, including a lead worker, foreman, supervisor, owner, plant nurse, company doctor for another injury, or anyone who can act in the interest of the employer. If such a person actually witnesses the injury, that is sufficient notice to the employer. A co-worker would not qualify as a person receiving notice, unless that person is a supervisor, foreman or in another position as described above.

Some employers claim that you are out of time if you don't report the injury within 24 hours or some other standard, simply because they have a rule in a personnel manual or a sign on the wall. That is simply not true -- personnel manuals do not change Iowa law. Likewise, some employers claim that, if you have not filled out an incident report or other form, they do not have to turn the claim in. That is also not true; it'san attempt to mislead you into losing your rights to be covered for your injury.

This portion of the Web site covers issues relating to work injury claims, including the worker's notice of the injury to the employer, the right to medical records and medical care, the issue of whether an injury or condition is work-related, the worker's right to an independent medical examination by a doctor of the worker's choosing to assess of any permanent medical impairment at the employer's expense, the issue of whether the employer's negligence, if any, is an issue in work injury claims, attorney fees and expenses, the settlement process, and the litigation process. There is a page containing links to useful resources on the Internet.

The information contained in this Website is for informational purposes only, and is not to be considered legal advice.