Substitute House Bill 27 (HB27)

Lawmakers Attack Ohio’s Injured Workers

Substitute House Bill 27 (HB27) was signed into law and went into effect last month in Ohio.

House Bill 27 makes dozens of amendments to Ohio Law as it relates to workers’ compensation, and the claims process.  Arguably the most notable changes of HB 27 is the reduction in time that you have to file a workers’ compensation claim following an accident, injury or death.

ORC 4123.84 STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS CHANGES: Prior to HB27, the statute of limitations for filing a workers’ compensation claim after injury or death, was two years from the date the accident or injury occurred.  HB27 reduces the statute of limitations to one year.

This will have a profound impact on our workers’ compensation system and will highlight the importance of skilled legal representation, more than ever before. The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation claims process is an arduous journey, and cutting the time to file a claim in half is not going to remedy the situation in the least.

Additional notable changes in HB27 include;

C-92 Applications The Ohio BWC can dismiss C-92 applications for failure to attend medical exam, and 741.30 is an amendment to handle C-92 backlog claims.

Drug Testing Federal compliance in threshold limits and expansion to include all controlled substances.

Incarceration No individual may receive benefits during any sort of confinement or incarceration. 

The Clock is Ticking

House Bill 27 went into effect as of September 29, 2017.  This means if your injury occurred September 30^th, your clock is ticking and you currently have less than 1 year to file your claim for compensation.  Coupled with other substantial changes, HB27 highlights the serious importance of gaining skilled, committed and proven legal counsel.

If you or a loved one was injured on the job or killed in a work related accident or injury, you must contact us today.  With over 150 years of combined experience, the passionate team here at Nager, Romaine and Schneiberg will fight to gain the compensation you deserve.  Allow us to help you navigate the new road brought forth by HB27, and the ever confusing Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.