How to File a Workers’ Compensation First Report of Injury in Minnesota

After you get hurt at work, it is important to notify your employer of your work injury as soon as possible. Usually, after receiving notice of an employee getting hurt at work, an Eemployer will fill out a Workers’ Compensation document called a First Report of Injury (FROI) to notify their Workers’ Compensation insurance company and the Department of Labor and Industry of the workplace injury.

Filing a First Report of Injury is the first step of the Workers’ Compensation claims process. Any potential claim disputes related to the work injury must be filed within three years of when the First Report of Injury is filed, or six years if no First Report of Injury is filed.

For injuries or illnesses that are not specific in nature, you should notify your supervisor immediately once you have information that would lead you to believe your injury or symptoms are work-related. The date of injury might be the last day you worked, the first time you went to the doctor, or the first time you thought your symptoms were work-related.

First Report of Injury Form Tips

As the employee, you should keep in mind the following reporting guidelines and helpful tips as part of your steps to follow after getting hurt at work:

• It is the employer’s responsibility to file the First Report of Injury form, which is available on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s website: Minnesota First Report of Injury (FROI).
• The FROI should be filled out within ten days of the work injury occurring, but it is best to fill it out as soon as possible when everyone’s memories of the incident are fresh.
• Ask to fill it out together with your supervisor to maintain the accuracy of the report.
• Make note of the time and place you first notified a supervisor of your work injury.
• Document for your own records what happened. This can be especially helpful when speaking with your medical providers about your injury, so you can maintain an accurate history of events with your treating physician. It is also helpful to document conversations with coworkers about your injury too.
• If you work for multiple employers, be sure to notify all employers of your injury, including those you were not hurt at.

Occasionally, there is no need to file a First Report of Injury – for example, if the injury is relatively minor and isn’t expected to result in treatment or lost time from work. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to reporting an injury, so if an employer insists on not filing a report, you should consult with a Workers’ Compensation lawyer immediately. Your employer could face a penalty for not filing a First Report of Injury or filing it late.

Finally, if you notice any inaccuracies on the First Report of Injury, notify your supervisor immediately. Occasionally, not all information is known at the time the form is filled out or will ever be known. Employers will sometimes file revised First Reports of Injury. If that occurs, make sure you review the revised First Report of Injury to make sure it is consistent with the forms you filled out previously.