Workers: How to report an injury and what to expect
If you have a work-related injury or disease, we want to help you as soon as possible. We'll need some information from you to start your claim for services and benefits.
- Report your injury online
- When to report your injury by phone
- What you’ll need to report your injury
- What to do when you're injured at work
- After you've reported your injury or illness
- If your claim is accepted
Report your injury online
You can report your injury online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We recommend reporting online if you have a physical injury from a single incident at work (i.e., an injury that did not develop gradually over time).
To get started, you’ll need to create an online services profile (or log in if you already have one).
For a preview of how to report online, watch this video:
When to report your injury by phone
In certain cases, it’s best to call us. It usually takes about 30 minutes to report your injury by phone.
Circumstances when it’s best to call us
Please call our Teleclaim team in the following circumstances so we can connect you with specialized team members or offer specific assistance:
- You’re reporting a catastrophic injury resulting in a long stay in the hospital or home care (e.g., loss of a limb, multiple bone fractures requiring surgery, severe burns, or a spinal cord injury).
- You're reporting a mental health injury.
- Your injury involves sexual assault or sexual harassment.
- Your injury involves hearing loss.
- You’re reporting an injury or condition that developed over time (not from a single incident).
- You’re reporting a work-related disease or illness. Report any symptoms to us as soon as you notice them. You can report an occupational disease claim even if you’re not working or you’ve changed jobs.
- You work in the fishing industry.
Alternatively, you can download the PDF for the Application for Compensation and Report of Injury or Occupational Disease (Form 6), and mail or fax it to us.
What you’ll need to report your injury
- Your contact information and the contact information of your employer(s).
- Your Personal Health Number, if you have one.
- The date you were injured, how it happened, and where it happened.
- If you’ve received medical care, the details of your first visit, including the clinic or hospital name, your doctor or practitioner’s name, and what treatment you received.
- If you missed time from work, your earnings from the past 12 weeks — we also require your Social Insurance Number (SIN) for tax reporting purposes.
Additional information for claims in these circumstances
If your claim is related to one of the following topics, reviewing this information may help you when making a claim:
- COVID-19
- Hearing loss
- Mental health injuries
- Occupational diseases
- Out-of-province claims
- If a third party was involved
What to do when you're injured at work
- Prioritize your health and safety.
- Let your employer know about your injury as soon as it is safe to do so.
- If you receive medical attention, let anyone treating or assessing you know that you were injured at work.
- Follow any treatment recommendations from your physician or other health care providers and ask about any modified work duties and activities you can do to help your recovery and return to work (if you’ve been off work). Stay connected to your workplace and work with your employer to identify safe and suitable work.
- Report your injury to us right away to start your claim. The sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can make a decision on your claim and determine your eligibility for services and benefits. However, you do have up to one year from the date you were injured to report it to us.
After you've reported your injury or illness
Once we've reviewed reports from you, your employer, and your health care provider, we will inform all parties whether the claim is accepted and can determine your eligibility for benefits. See how we determine eligibility for a claim.
Once you’ve reported your injury, you will receive up to four confidential numbers.
Claim number
This is an 8-digit number that you'll get by mail once we receive your injury report. We share this number with you, your employer, and your health care provider. Please use this number when communicating with us about your claim.
Customer Care number
This is an 11-digit number that you'll get by mail with your claim number. This number is unique to you and if you're ever injured again, you’ll have the same Customer Care number.
Personal Access number
This is a 4-to-8-digit number that we send to you by mail. Your Personal Access number and Customer Care number will help you to access your claim information online.
Reference number
If you report your injury online, you'll also get a reference number. If you need to call us before you receive your claim number, please refer to this number.
Be sure to follow up with your health care provider as needed and give your claim number to anyone who provides medical treatment related to the claim.
- If you get medical treatments (e.g., physiotherapy) related to your claim before it's accepted, you may be asked to pay the provider directly. If your claim is later accepted, you can contact your treatment provider to request reimbursement. They will normally bill us directly for all your approved treatments.
- See health care benefits for information on getting and paying for treatment.
You may be asked to complete and submit an Authorization for Release of Personal Information from Third Parties to WorkSafeBC (Form 69W1). This form gives us permission to ask your employer and health care providers for information relevant to your claim to ensure we have the information we need to make a decision on your claim and serve you more quickly. See view and submit claim documents for details on accessing and submitting information about your claim.
Stay in touch with your employer and, as appropriate, discuss modified duties or a return-to-work plan. If you remain at work, talk to your employer about how you're doing and if adjustments are needed to your duties or plan. If you have any questions about your claim, please call our Claims Call Centre.
If your claim is accepted
If your claim is accepted, we’ll tell you and your employer what benefits we can provide. This might include:
- Health care benefits
- Wage-loss benefits for missed time at work
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Permanent disability benefits
- Services for seriously injured workers
If you’re off work, you and your employer have a legal duty to cooperate with each other and with WorkSafeBC for a timely and safe return to work. See this fact sheet for details on how to fulfill your duty to cooperate or review steps you can take to ensure a timely and safe return to work.
If you disagree with a claim decision
If you don't understand a decision, have a concern with any decision we make, or have new information that may affect a decision, you can:
- Ask us to explain and/or reconsider the decision: We’re able to reconsider a decision on a claim within 75 days of the date of the decision. You can call the person who made the decision, and they will explain the reasons for the decision and/or consider any additional information you provide.
- Request a review of the decision: If you still disagree with a decision after speaking with us, you can request a review by the Review Division within 90 days of the date of the decision.
- Contact the Workers’ Advisers Office: Contact the Workers’ Advisers Office, an independent branch of the B.C. provincial government, if you disagree with a claim decision and want advice and assistance on a potential appeal.
Resources
Making a WorkSafeBC Claim
If you’re injured on the job, this resource explains what you need to do to file a claim. It also tells you what you can expect during the process and who you can contact if you need help.
For...
Title
Creating an online services account as a worker
Learn how to set up an online services account to access your claim online.
See also:
Title
How to Report Your Injury Online
Learn how to report your workplace injury using our online form. This video covers the steps for reporting a physical injury from a single incident at work.
To report online or learn more about...
Title
Return to Work: Information for Workers
If you've been injured on the job, one of the best things you can do for your recovery is return to work as soon as it's safe to do so. You and your employer have a legal duty to cooperate with each...