How the Arkansas system works
Most Arkansas employers with three or more employees must carry coverage, administered by the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission, with disputes decided by administrative law judges and reviewed by the full Commission and the courts. Arkansas's 1993 reforms produced a strict-construction statute: objective findings for compensability, "major cause" for permanency, and employer control of medical care with a Commission-supervised escape hatch.
Every deadline that matters
| What | Deadline | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Notice to your employer | Immediately — in practice, the same day | Arkansas ties benefit start dates to when you report; unexplained delay damages both benefits and credibility. |
| File a claim (Form AR-C) | 2 years from the injury | The formal filing with the Commission. Benefits paid can extend limited windows (1 year from last payment) — but two years is the number to act on. |
| Occupational disease | Special rules | Different clocks tied to last exposure and discovery — get advice early. |
The objective-findings rule
Arkansas law requires a compensable injury to be established by objective findings — MRI results, X-rays, muscle spasms a doctor observes, swelling, EMG results — evidence that doesn't depend on your voluntary description. Pain alone, however real, doesn't satisfy the statute. Practical consequences: get imaging and testing done early rather than "waiting to see"; make sure examination findings (spasm, swelling, reduced reflexes) actually make it into the chart; and if your MRI is clean but you're still hurting, understand that the fight will be harder and the documentation must be better. This rule is also why gaps in treatment hurt Arkansas claims more than most.
Their doctor — and the change-of-physician petition
The employer/insurer chooses the initial treating physician, and self-directed care is generally at your expense. Your statutory lever: a one-time change of physician through the Commission — a petition that's routinely granted, letting you name a new doctor. Use it thoughtfully (it's one card), and remember the exam findings that doctor records are the objective evidence your claim runs on.
The benefits
| Benefit | What it pays |
|---|---|
| Medical care | All reasonably necessary authorized treatment. |
| Temporary Total (TTD) | Two-thirds of your average weekly wage within state caps. |
| Permanent Partial (PPD) | Scheduled weeks by body part, or whole-body ratings — with work being the major cause of the disability required for permanency benefits. |
| Wage-loss / permanent total | For whole-body injuries with lasting restrictions, wage-loss disability above the rating is possible; permanent-total for those who can't work. |
| Death benefits | Survivor percentages plus burial expenses. |
How Arkansas disputes get resolved
- 1
Form AR-C filed
Your claim with the Commission — it protects the deadline and frames the issues.
- 2
Mediation and ALJ hearing
Many disputes settle at mediation; contested cases get an evidentiary hearing and written opinion.
- 3
Full Commission and courts
Review by the three-member Commission, then the Court of Appeals. Joint settlements need Commission approval.
Free official help
- Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission — forms (including the AR-C), claim status, and a Legal Advisor Division that answers workers' questions free: awcc.state.ar.us (501-682-3930, 800-250-2511).
Objective-findings disputes (clean imaging, real symptoms), major-cause fights over pre-existing conditions, change-of-physician strategy, wage-loss claims, and all settlements. Fees are capped at 25% and Commission-approved; consultations typically free.