- | By Steele & Ferguson, P.C.
If you were hurt at work in Michigan, you should report the injury immediately, get medical treatment, make sure the injury is documented as work-related, and file a claim fast if your employer does not report it or the insurance company disputes it. In Michigan, you should give notice to your employer within 90 days, you may generally have up to two years to file a workers comp claim, you can file Form WC-117 if your employer will not report the claim for you, and you may need to file Form WC-104A if the claim is disputed and you need a mediation or hearing.
Filing a Workers Comp Claim in Michigan
- Report the injury to your employer right away
- Get medical treatment immediately
- Tell every doctor the injury happened at work
- Keep copies of reports, work restrictions, and wage records
- If your employer will not file the claim, file Form WC-117
- If the insurance company disputes the claim, file Form WC-104A
- Move fast before delay hurts your case
Employees may file WC-117 if the employer will not file the claim, and may need WC-104A if the claim is disputed and the worker wants a hearing.
The Direct Answer
If you are asking, “How do I file a workers comp claim in Michigan?”, the answer is this:
First, report the injury to your employer
Do it immediately.
Do it the same day if possible.
Do it in writing if you can.
You should report any work accident to your employer right away, and the statute says notice should be given within 90 days of the injury.
Second, get medical treatment
Your health comes first.
But medical treatment also creates evidence.
Tell the doctor, urgent care, hospital, or clinic:
“I got hurt at work.”
That needs to be in the medical record if you want the claim tied clearly to your job injury. Injured workers are entitled to reasonable and necessary medical care for work-related injuries and diseases.
Third, file the right form if the claim is not moving
If your employer does not report the claim for you, you may file Form WC-117, Employee’s Report of Claim. If the claim is disputed by the insurance company or a self-insured employer, you may need to file Form WC-104A, Application for Mediation or Hearing.
Step-By-Step: How To File a Workers’ Comp Claim in Michigan
Step 1: Report the injury immediately
Tell your supervisor, manager, HR department, or whoever your company requires you to notify.
Include:
- Date of injury
- Time of injury
- Where it happened
- How it happened
- What body parts were hurt
- Names of witnesses
Prompt reporting matters, and notice should be given within 90 days.
Step 2: Get treatment and document the injury
Go to the doctor.
Go to urgent care.
Go to the ER if necessary.
Do not “wait and see” if you are hurt.
Make sure the records say the injury happened on the job. Workers are entitled to reasonable and necessary medical care for work-related injuries.
Step 3: Keep your proof
Start building your file immediately.
Keep copies of:
- Accident reports
- Emails and texts to your employer
- Doctor notes
- Work restrictions
- Pay stubs
- Witness names
- Prescriptions
- Mileage records
- Any letters from the insurance company
If your claim later becomes disputed, this evidence matters.
Step 4: File Form WC-117 if your employer will not report the claim
WC-117 is the form an employee can use if the employer will not file the claim. The agency processes the form and notifies the employer and its insurance company that a claim has been filed.
The WC-117 form itself asks for key information such as:
- Your name and contact information
- Date of injury
- Employer information
- Description of the injury and how it happened
- Whether you are claiming medical expenses
- Last day worked
- Whether the injury was reported to the employer
The form also states that a copy will be sent to your employer and their workers’ compensation insurance carrier, and says not to submit medical reports with the form.
Step 5: File Form WC-104A if the claim is denied or disputed
If the insurance company disputes the claim, delays benefits, or refuses to pay what should be paid, you may need to file WC-104A, Application for Mediation or Hearing.
WC-104A instructions also say:
- The form may be completed online
- It must then be printed and mailed to the Agency
- It must be signed
- Improper submissions will be returned
That means details matter. Filing the wrong way can cost time.
How Long Do I Have To File a Workers’ Comp Claim in Michigan?
Time matters.
Delay gives the employer and insurance company leverage.
You should provide notice of injury to the employer within 90 days. You generally have up to two years from the date of injury, or the date the disability manifests, to file a workers’ compensation claim. You cannot recover past-due benefits for more than two years back from the date you file an application for hearing.
That is exactly why waiting is dangerous.
What Happens After You File?
After a claim is filed, one of several things usually happens:
- The employer or insurer accepts the claim and starts benefits
- The claim is delayed while more information is gathered
- The claim is disputed
- The worker is sent into the formal mediation or hearing process
When an employer or insurer starts paying benefits, that is reported to the Agency. If your claim is disputed, you may need WC-104A to move the case into mediation or hearing.
Common Mistakes That Hurt Michigan Workers’ Comp Claims
Waiting too long to report the injury
That creates a notice problem. Report it promptly and within 90 days.
Not telling the doctor it happened at work
If the records do not connect the injury to the job, the insurance company may attack causation.
Assuming the employer filed everything correctly
That assumption can cost you time and money. Michigan specifically allows employees to file WC-117 when the employer will not report the claim.
Doing nothing after a denial
A denial is not the end. If you disagree with a claim decision, you may file WC-104A for hearing or mediation.
Failing to keep records
If the claim turns into a dispute, documentation becomes everything.
What Benefits Can a Michigan Workers’ Comp Claim Include?
A workers’ compensation claim in Michigan can involve:
- Wage-loss benefits
- Medical benefits
- Rehabilitation benefits
- Burial allowance in death cases
Why This Matters So Much
A work injury does not just affect your body.
It affects your paycheck.
It affects your bills.
It affects your family.
And when a claim is not filed properly, everything gets harder.
That is why people search for the best workers comp lawyer, best workers comp lawyer Michigan, and workers compensation lawyer Michigan after getting hurt at work.
They want answers.
They want action.
They want someone who knows how to move the claim forward before the system buries them in delay.
Why Injured Workers Across Michigan Call Steele Law
At Steele Law, we know what happens when employers delay, insurers dispute, and injured workers are left trying to figure out the process alone.
A workers’ comp claim is not just paperwork.
It is your medical care.
Your income.
Your future.
Your ability to stay afloat while you recover.
Our Michigan workers compensation lawyers fight for injured workers across Michigan when claims are delayed, denied, underreported, or pushed off track.
Serving Injured Workers Across the State of Michigan
Steele Law serves injured workers throughout the entire State of Michigan, including:
- Detroit
- Flint
- Grand Rapids
- Lansing
- Ann Arbor
- Saginaw
- Oakland County
- Wayne County
- Macomb County
- And communities across Michigan
Whether you were hurt in a warehouse, factory, hospital, construction site, trucking job, delivery job, office, or retail setting, the filing process matters from day one.
FAQs About Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim in Michigan
How do I file a workers’ comp claim in Michigan?
Report the injury immediately, get treatment, and if your employer will not report the claim, file Form WC-117 with the Michigan Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency. If the claim is disputed, you may need to file Form WC-104A for mediation or hearing.
Do I have to report my work injury to my employer first?
Yes. You should report any work accident immediately and provide notice within 90 days.
What form do I file if my employer will not file the workers’ comp claim?
The employee may file Form WC-117, Employee’s Report of Claim.
What form do I file if my workers’ comp claim is denied in Michigan?
You may need to file Form WC-104A, Application for Mediation or Hearing, if the claim is disputed and you want a hearing.
How long do I have to file a workers’ comp claim in Michigan?
You generally have up to two years from the date of injury, or the date disability manifests, to file a claim.
Can I still recover benefits if I waited too long?
Maybe, but delay can seriously hurt the case. You cannot recover past-due benefits for more than two years back from the date you file an application for hearing.
Do I send my medical records with Form WC-117?
No. The WC-117 form states: do not submit medical reports with this form.
What if I filled out WC-104A incorrectly?
Improperly submitted WC-104A forms will be returned. The form must be printed, mailed, and signed.
What benefits can I receive in a Michigan workers’ comp claim?
Workers’ comp may include wage-loss, medical, rehabilitation, and burial benefits in death cases.
Do I need a lawyer to file a workers’ comp claim in Michigan?
Not every case starts with a lawyer, but when a claim is delayed, disputed, denied, or underpaid, legal help can matter fast.
Call Steele Law Right Now For Help
If you got hurt at work in Michigan, do not sit back and hope the employer or insurance company handles it the right way.
That is how claims get delayed.
That is how benefits get lost.
That is how injured workers get pushed into a corner.
File fast.
Document everything.
And get help before a simple claim turns into a fight.
Steele Law fights for injured workers across the entire State of Michigan.
