Workers' Compensation

An employee who is injured during the course and scope of their employment may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, including:

Medical Treatment Benefits – Medical treatment benefits are defined as medical care directly related to the workers’ compensation injury. This may include health provider visits, prescriptions, diagnostic tests, emergency room visit, and emergency transportation.

• The CorVel claims adjuster must approve all medical treatment.
• Prescriptions must be filled at an approved pharmacy using the CorVel Rx Card; a First Fill card will be provided with initial treatment.
• Mileage cost to and from approved medical treatment may be covered.

Indemnity Wage Benefits – Indemnity wage benefits are defined as payment of a percentage of an employee’s wages that are lost because the employee is unable to work due to the employee’s work-related injury.

• Covered once the employee is unable to work at least 7 full consecutive or cumulative days after the injury.
• Covered if treating medical provider provides written documentation removing the employee from work; or if LSU is unable to make the medical provider’s return-to-work job modifications.
• Calculated based on the employee’s actual wages for the 4 full weeks prior to the injury. Benefits are paid at no more than 66 2/3% of the prior wages, subject to the State maximum and minimum rates.
• University policy requires that the injured employee must use available sick time for the portion of wages not covered by workers’ compensation.

 Additional information can be found on the State workers’ compensation website.

• Employees should immediately notify their supervisor or department when injured on the job.
• Employees should call the CorVel 24-Hour Employee Injury Call Center hotline at 1-855-458-7814, select menu option 1.

• The call center registered nurse will:

  • Talk with the injured employee about their injury
  • Determine the employee’s immediate care needs
  • Direct the employee on where to seek medical treatment, if needed
• The call center will collect basic information from the employee (employees should be patient as the information is required to begin the claim process).
• Soon after the initial call, the CorVel claims adjuster will contact the employee to walk through the next steps of the workers' compensation claim process.
• It is important for an injured employee to keep in touch with their supervisor and/or department HR staff to inform them on the status of their workers’ compensation claim.
• An injured employee must go to the medical facility where directed by the CorVel nurse or adjuster.  (After the initial visit, the employee will have the ability to select the physician by whom they wish to be treated, following State workers' compensation guidelines.)
• An injured employee is required to obtain written return to work instructions from the treating physician at each medical visit.  The instructions will list any restrictions or limitations on work activity due to the injury or note that the individual is able to return to work at full duty, without limitations.
• An injured employee must continue to keep his/her supervisor and the LSU Risk Management informed of their health status on a frequent basis, but no less than weekly during a period of absence from work (unless unable to do so because of the injury).
• In order for the claim to proceed successfully, employees should communicate and cooperate with CorVel, LSU Risk Management, and their department. Failure to cooperate could negatively affect the workers’ compensation claim and/or lead to disciplinary measures by the University.

The workers’ compensation process can be complex.  If an injured employee has questions or needs assistance, contact:

• The CorVel adjuster, per contact information provided by the adjuster
• LSU Risk Management, email us or call, 225-578-3297
• The employee’s Supervisor or departmental HR contact, who will help the employee to find answers or assistance.

More information about LSU’s Workers’ Compensation program and contact information can be found on this webpage.

Emergencies: Call 911 or LSU Campus Police, 225-578-3231

Do not hesitate to call 911 if there is any uncertainty on whether or not an injury is an emergency.  

Injuries that require emergency treatment include but are not limited to: excessive bleeding, broken bones, deep wounds, loss of consciousness, dizziness, significant burns, loss of sight or hearing.

After emergency treatment, when physically capable, the injured employee should call the CorVel Employee Injury Call Center hotline to speak to the registered nurse: 1-855-458-7814, select menu option 1.  If the employee is unable to complete the call timely, then the employee’s supervisor or department should call the hotline to report the injury.

Following emergency treatment, the employee should follow the normal claim process outlined in the next section.

Emergency rooms should only be used for:

• Emergencies
• When instructed to go there by the nurse at the Employee Injury Call Center or the medical provider.
• When no other medical provider office is open due to the time of day or holiday, and the injury requires immediate medical attention.

Reporting the Injury

For injuries that do not require emergency medical treatment, the following steps should be taken to report the injury and begin the workers’ compensation claim process:

1. Injured employee reports the incident to their supervisor.
2. Supervisor explains the workers' compensation claim process basics and instructs the employee to call the Employee Injury Call Center to report the injury and obtain instructions on medical treatment.
3. Employee calls the CorVel Employee Injury Call Center Hotline: 1-855-458-7814, select menu option 1. The employee’s supervisor or department should make the call if the employee is unable to.
4. Employee talks to the CorVel nurse privately to discuss the injury. (If the employee requests that the supervisor also be on the call with the nurse, then this is acceptable.)
5. Employee provides the nurse with the required information to begin the claim process; and the nurse provides employee with a claim number.

Initial Medical Treatment - Speaking with the CorVel Nurse

1. Nurse discusses the injury and obtains basic information from the employee.
2. Nurse evaluates the nature of the injury and determines the employee's immediate medical needs.
3. Nurse instructs the employee on their initial medical treatment, whether first aid or visit to a medical provider, as follows:
   • First Aid Only: If injury can be treated with on-site first aid, the nurse will instruct employee on what is needed and plan a follow-up call to check on the employee (however, if the employee believes they need to see a doctor, then they should let the nurse know and explain why).
   • More than First Aid: If more than first aid is required, the nurse will direct the employee to LSU's selected medical Provider:
     • Total Occupational Medicine
       7 am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday
       3282 Drusilla Lane, Baton Rouge
       Phone: 225-924-4460
     • Lake After Hours
       8 am to 10 pm, Monday - Sunday
       3282 Drusilla Lane, Baton Rouge
       Phone: 225-924-4460
   • Emergency Rooms should only be used for:
     • Emergencies
     • When instructed to go there by the CorVel nurse or the medical provider.
     • When no other medical provider office is open due to the time of day or holiday, and the employee’s injury requires immediate medical attention.
   • LSU Student Health Center should not be used in place of the above listed providers.  The Health Center's priority is LSU students; they do not have occupational medicine professionals on staff to address workers’ compensation claims.
4. Nurse may talk with employee's supervisor, if available, to report the plan of action to address the employee’s injury (the employee will be assured by the nurse that supervisor will not be told confidential health information).
5. Nurse schedules an appointment for the employee with the medical provider and sends a treatment authorization directly to the provider.
6. Nurse sends the employee a temporary First Fill pharmacy card, if needed.
7. The supervisor should drive the injured employee to and from the medical provider in an LSU vehicle, if available, or assist with finding alternative transportation.  If not possible and the injured employee drives themselves, then the supervisor should ask the employee to notify them when they arrive and leave the medical provider. 
8. Employee should report back to their supervisor with a status, as soon as known, regarding their medical treatment and ability to return to work, as determined by the medical provider.
9. If the employee is approved to work in a full or modified capacity, the employee should report back to work if it is within their normal working hours.

Claim Process after Initial Report and First Medical Treatment

1. CorVel claims adjuster will contact the injured employee and explain the claim process.
2. Adjuster, Risk Management, or Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will investigate the incident, as needed, based on the circumstances of the incident and nature of the injury.
3. Adjuster will manage the claim, working closely with the employee, medical providers, and Risk Management.
4. Adjuster will monitor treatment to assure that it meets the employee's specific needs for a successful recovery.
5. Adjuster will keep Risk Management aware of the progress of the claim.
6. Risk Management will communicate with the department regarding the claim.
7. Supervisor should keep in touch with employee regarding their claim, including when the employee is required to miss work due to their injury, as determined by their medical provider.

• An employee who has been unable to work due to their injury, as determined by a medical provider, will return to their work as soon as possible; based on their medical recovery status and other factors, and subject to relevant LSU policies or practices. The decision regarding when an employee can return to work following a workers’ compensation covered injury is not a discretionary or optional decision of the employee or department. The facts of the case determine the workers’ compensation claimant’s return to work timeline.
• The department should assist in returning the employee back to their full position or modified duty, including making accommodations when applicable, in compliance with University policy.
• If the department cannot accommodate the employee’s work restrictions with the employee’s normal work duties, then temporary alternative work should be found for the employee within the department or elsewhere at the University, with duties that are within the employee’s work limitations.
• The claims adjuster and Risk Management will monitor the situation closely, keep the employee and department apprised of the employee’s work status, and collaborate with the department to accomplish a successful return-to-work.
• The supervisor, department, or injured worker can contact LSU Risk Management for questions regarding an injured employee’s claim status, work capabilities, return to work, absences or leave pay while out on a work-related injury.

Absences for Medical Treatment

• When an employee is injured at work and has been approved for workers’ compensation benefits, the employee may require time away from work due to their injury, in order to visit a medical provider. Such medical provider visits must be approved by the CorVel nurse or workers’ compensation adjuster, in communication with the medical provider(s).
• The employee is responsible for communicating with their supervisor regarding the medical provider visits and obtaining approval for the absences from their supervisor.
• Until the claim reaches the threshold where the employee qualifies for indemnity benefits, these absences are not paid as part of the workers’ compensation claim. Any such absences for medical provider visits, including transportation time, would need to be taken using the employee’s sick leave time, following the University’s policies.  If there is insufficient sick leave available for the time away from work, Human Resource Management may approve other types of leave usage on a case by case basis.

Employee-Elected Absences

• For a workers’ compensation claim, it is the injured employee’s medical provider who makes the determination regarding the employee’s ability to return to work, and under what restrictions or modifications, if any.
• If, however, the employee refuses to follow the medical provider’s return-to-work assessment, and chooses on their own to stay out of work or calls in sick, citing the injury as the reason, such absences are not approved as part of the workers’ compensation claim. In other words, if the treating physician determines the employee is fit to return to work and the employee elects not to return to work or not to comply with the physician’s listed restrictions, it is the responsibility of the department to determine the appropriateness and/or approval of any such time off by the injured worker, in accordance with department and University policies on use/approval of personal leave. Any such absence(s) will not count towards the workers’ compensation indemnity benefits.

Department-Required Employee Absences

• Risk Management or the workers’ compensation claim adjuster will communicate with the department regarding their employee’s workers’ compensation claim and the employee’s ability to return to work, and when.  For the workers’ compensation claim, it is not the department but the injured employee’s medical provider who makes the determination regarding the employee’s ability to return-to-work, and under what restrictions or modifications, if any.
• If the employee’s supervisor or department decides not to follow the medical provider’s assessment of the employee’s injury and ability to work, and does not permit an employee to return to work or decides to send the employee home, then the employee’s absence is not considered as part of the workers’ compensation claim.  If this occurs, the employee should inform Risk Management.
• With regard to pay, if the employee’s absence is at the direction of the department and not the employee’s choice, then the absence should be compensated as regular pay or leave time, based on University policy or HR instructions.

An LSU student who is employed as a student worker or graduate assistant may or may not be covered by workers’ compensation (WC) depending upon what capacity they were acting in at the time of the incident.

• Students are not covered by WC for injuries that occur at times when they are acting solely as a student, whether in a classroom, a laboratory, or anywhere else, including at the location where they work as a student worker or grad assistant­­. In such instances, when the student is not acting in a work related capacity, it is the student’s accident or health insurance that may provide coverage (if no insurance is in place, then the student would need to pay for medical treatment with their own money). (Departments who wish assistance in drafting procedures for responding to non-WC student injuries, can contact the Office of Risk Management.)
• Students are covered by WC for injuries that occur during the time when they are performing their assigned work responsibilities and being paid by LSU as a student worker or graduate assistant. The work-related injury must have occurred within the course and scope of the student’s employment for WC coverage to apply. In such instances, the student is considered an LSU employee, and so the normal employee and department procedures for WC would apply.

• An LSU employee who is performing their work responsibilities at an alternate work location, as approved by their supervisor, may be eligible for LSU’s workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation coverage is for work-related injuries that occur specifically and clearly in the course and scope of employment.  If a work-related injury occurs at the alternative location, the employee should follow the standard procedures for reporting a work-related injury.
• When working at an alternative location, the employee agrees to permit the University to perform an investigation of a work-related incident at the alternative location. The University will follow the standard procedures as related to the investigation and inspection of the incident. Please note that this may mean allowing a University representative direct access to the alternative location, including an employee’s home. Employees shall have and maintain a healthy and safe work

• LSU’s workers’ compensation coverage provides benefits to employees who suffer an injury or illness that is specifically and clearly caused while the employee is in the course and scope of their employment. In most instances, when an employee becomes ill, it is not considered work-related. Such illnesses include but are not limited to a cold, the flu, mononucleosis, meningitis, HIV, or CoVid-19. Although unlikely, there could be circumstances when the facts support that an LSU employee has conclusively been infected by CoVid-19 as a result of being in the course and scope of their employment. If an employee believes this to be the case, they should follow the standard procedures for reporting a work-related injury.