If you suffered an injury at work, you must immediately report the incident to your employer. File a very detailed report, gather witnesses and take their statements. You will need all these when you file your workers’ compensation case. Generally, you must file a report within 30 to 45 days after sustaining the hand injury. Failure to do so can mean losing your right to file a workers’ compensation claim. You can receive benefits for about 104 weeks from your injury. This period can be as long as 240 weeks for severe hand injuries.