§912 Notice of injury or death

Summary

You must give written notice about an injury or a death that could lead to benefits within 30 days after the injury or death, or within 30 days after the worker or beneficiary knew or should have known the injury or death was tied to the job. For an occupational disease that does not cause disability or death right away, you must give notice within one year after the worker or claimant knew or should have known it was work-related. The notice must include the worker’s name and address, when and where the injury happened, what happened, and who caused it, and it must be signed by the worker or someone acting for them (or by a person claiming benefits when there is a death). Send the notice to the deputy commissioner for the district where the injury or death took place and to the employer. You can hand it to them or mail it to their office. Employers must name who can get notices (for example, first-line supervisors, local managers, or personnel officials) and tell their workers and the Secretary. Not giving notice does not automatically prevent a claim if the employer or insurer already knew, if the deputy commissioner finds the employer was not harmed by the late notice, or for other good reasons — but the employer must raise any objection at the first hearing before the deputy commissioner.