Report the injury immediately to your employer or supervisor and request an Employee Claim Form if more than first aid is required. Employers must provide employees with a claim form upon notice of injury even if the employer contends that the injury was not caused by work. Be sure to report your claim quickly because you may not be entitled to benefits if you don't file a claim within one year of the date of injury, the date you knew the injury was work related, or the date benefits were last provided. Benefits begin after three days of authorized medical leave unless hospitalization is required or you are unable to work for more than 14 calendar days. Generally, you are entitled to treatment by your personal physician if you have notified your employer of the doctor's name and address in writing before the injury.
Employers often use a pre-select form.
If you don't have a personal physician on file with your employer, your employer may send you to a doctor of its choice. Often the doctor is a specialist for the medical condition and will be referred by the claims administrator. If you have not designated a doctor before your injury or illness, you can switch to your own doctor after the employer's medical control expires, which is generally 30 days after the injury or illness occurs. Education Code section 44984 provides that a certificated employee is entitled to 60 days of paid leave while school is in session, so long as the workers' compensation TDI checks and the amount of paid leave equal the full salary. Your local association may bargain additional days of paid leave.