Same-day work injury care, physical therapy, physicals and drug testing — now closer to West Denver employers and crews. Walk-ins welcome, no referral needed.
Claims & recovery
An employee just got hurt — now what? Step-by-step guidance for Colorado employers: first aid and triage, where to send the worker, reporting deadlines, and the documentation that protects everyone.
Key takeaway: Get the injured employee medical care first, document everything second, and hit Colorado's deadlines third: provide your written designated provider list within 7 business days, and report the injury to your workers' comp insurer within 10 days of learning about it. The clinic you send them to in hour one shapes the cost and duration of the entire claim.
This guide is for Colorado supervisors, HR staff, and business owners handling a non-catastrophic workplace injury. If the injury is life-threatening — call 911. Nothing below comes before that.
Where you send a non-emergency injury matters more than most employers realize. An occupational health clinic — unlike a general urgent care — evaluates the injury in the context of the job: work-status decisions, modified-duty recommendations, and complete workers' comp documentation from visit one. (More on this in our occupational health vs. urgent care guide.)
Colorado law also gives you a say: employers who properly designate medical providers direct initial care. You must give the injured worker a written list of at least 4 physicians or corporate medical providers within 7 business days of receiving notice of the injury — and you can tell them verbally immediately. If you never provide the list, the employee may choose any doctor, and you lose that cost control. [COMPLIANCE VERIFY — Rule 8 specifics, rural exceptions]
2028 note: Colorado's HB 25-1300 changes physician selection for claims filed on or after January 1, 2028 — workers will choose from the state's accredited list. The steps in this article apply to current claims. Read what's changing.
Download: ICA's printable 24-hour injury response checklist [ASSET — create]
| Deadline | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| Within 7 business days of notice | Employer | Written designated provider list (≥4 providers) to the employee |
| Within 10 days of notice/knowledge | Employer | Report injury to your workers' comp insurer |
| Within 10 days of injury | Employee | Written notice of injury to employer |
| Within 20 days (insurer) | Insurer | Admit or contest liability after claim filed |
| Within 8 hours / 24 hours | Employer | OSHA: report a fatality within 8 hours; in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss within 24 hours |
[COMPLIANCE VERIFY all rows before publish — rules current as of June 2026]
Late employer reporting can mean penalties — and it always means a slower, messier claim.
How you treat the injured worker in the first 24 hours predicts whether the claim stays cooperative or turns adversarial. Check on them. Tell them their job matters. Explain the comp process plainly — most workers have never filed a claim and fear means lawyers. Workers who feel supported return to work sooner; that's not sentiment, it's claims experience.
At ICA, an initial work-injury visit includes evaluation and treatment, a same-day work-status report to you (full duty, modified duty, or off work), documentation built for the Colorado comp system, and a return-to-work plan. You'll know the employee's status before the end of the day — which lets you plan staffing instead of guessing.
If you don't have a designated provider relationship before an injury happens, you're choosing a clinic in a panic. Set up ICA as a designated provider before you need one — and when an injury does happen, walk-in injury care means your employee is seen the same day.
Does every injury need to be reported to my insurer? Report any work-related injury, illness, or injurious exposure to your insurer within 10 days of notice or knowledge. When in doubt, report — failing to report risks penalties; over-reporting risks nothing. [COMPLIANCE VERIFY scope/exceptions]
Can I require a drug test after a workplace injury? Post-incident testing is generally allowed when there's a reasonable basis to believe impairment contributed, and as part of a consistently applied written policy. Blanket automatic testing can raise OSHA retaliation concerns. Talk to your policy advisor — and test quickly, since detection windows close. [COMPLIANCE VERIFY]
What if the employee refuses medical treatment? Document the refusal in writing with a witness. You still must report the injury to your insurer within the deadline. Encourage evaluation anyway — "I'm fine" at 2 p.m. often becomes a stiff back at 6 a.m.
General information, not legal or medical advice. For emergencies call 911. [Medically reviewed by — REQUIRED] · Last reviewed: [DATE]
Where you send an injured worker in the first hour shapes the cost and length of the whole claim. Compare occupational health clinics, urgent care, and the ER — and learn when each is the right call.
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