I just got hurt — start here Start Here Injury Library State Guides Tools Glossary My Claim Español →
Start Here · The Journey

Every claim follows the same road. Here's the whole map.

Seven guides, one for each moment a claim actually turns on. Read the one that matches where you are today — each stands alone, and each hands you to the next when the road bends.

The seven stages of a workers' comp claim A left-to-right flow: Injury, then Report it, then Medical care, then Claim filed, then Decision, then MMI and rating, then Resolution. Injury day zero Report it in writing Medical care "at work" Claim filed the paperwork Decision accept / deny MMI & rating measurement day Resolution award / settle The first three stages happen in days — and they carry the rest.
All seven pictures: The System, Drawn.
  1. 1 The day it happens

    The First 24 Hours Framework™ →

    Eight ordinary actions that decide whether your claim is believed: report in writing, say "this happened at work," name every body part, photograph everything. The foundation every other guide builds on — with an interactive checklist that saves your progress.

  2. 2 Every conversation after

    What to Say — The Script Library →

    Word-for-word language for the moments that decide claims: the employer report, the adjuster's first call (and the recorded statement you can decline), describing pain to doctors without minimizing, and light duty that isn't light. Printable.

  3. 3 If the letter says no

    Denied Claims — The Playbook →

    A denial is a position, not a verdict. Match the denial reason to the evidence that fixes it, decode the letter, calendar the one date that matters, and understand the four-step dispute process every state shares.

  4. 4 The exam that decides it

    The Medical Visit Blueprint™ →

    QME, AME, IME, designated doctor — whatever your state calls it, one medical-legal exam usually outweighs months of records. Before, during, and after: the timeline, the honesty rule in both directions, and the report's big four findings.

  5. 5 When healing plateaus

    MMI & Your Rating →

    MMI isn't "recovered" — it's measurement day. Your checks convert, your impairment becomes a percentage, and each percentage point becomes weeks of money. Plus the apportionment subtraction to watch, and how to dispute a rating.

  6. 6 When the offer arrives

    Before You Sign — The Settlement Readiness Checklist™ →

    The one irreversible moment. Ten yes-or-no questions that tell you whether you're actually ready, the four red flags in the room, what "final" really means, and how the money actually arrives after the judge signs.

  7. 7 Going back — on your terms

    The Return-to-Work Decision Matrix™ →

    Six return scenarios mapped against what each does to your health and your benefits — genuine light duty, fake light duty, no offer at all, and permanent restrictions that change careers. The doctor's note runs the show.

Not sure which moment you're in?

Answer one question at a time and get pointed to exactly the right resource — or just ask in your own words.

Take the 1-minute check Ask Instant Answers
Free case review

Not sure where you stand? Have a lawyer look — free.

A few quick taps connects you with a licensed workers' comp attorney in your state. No cost, no obligation, no pressure.

Get my free case review Advertising — participating firms pay for introductions. You pay nothing.