If it just happened
Emergency? Call 911- 1Make sure your client is safe and stable. If the client fell or is hurt, call 911.
- 2Call 911 for yourself if you have numbness in your legs or groin, or loss of bladder or bowel control.
- 3Call your agency or care coordinator before leaving the home, so a replacement can be arranged if needed.
- 4Report the injury in writing, by the agency's form, portal or email, and keep a copy.
- 5Write down the address, time, the task (bed-to-chair, bathing, catching a fall) and any problems in the home, like a narrow bathroom or no grab bars.
- 6Take photos of the space if the client or family agrees and it is appropriate.
- 7Avoid lifting until you have talked with a clinician.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Reporting it and the claim process
When you work in someone's home, the agency or company that employs you is usually who you report to, not the client or family. If you are not sure who your employer is — an agency, a program or a family — write down how you are paid and who sets your schedule, and ask your state's workers' compensation agency how that works.
A written report to your employer is generally how a claim begins. Ask for the claim number and the adjuster's name. Deadlines to report and file vary by state, so check as soon as possible.
Note the conditions that contributed: a client who is heavier or less steady than the care plan described, no lift device, a cluttered path, or a task the care plan said needed two people.
Keep text messages with your coordinator, visit notes and your own log of pain and missed visits.
Getting medical care
Ask your agency where they want you to be seen; some states and employers have rules about the first provider. If you cannot reach anyone and the pain is severe, go to urgent care or an emergency department and tell them it happened at work.
Describe the lift or movement, including any twisting or a sudden catch. A licensed clinician decides what care fits after an evaluation, which may include referrals to spine care, physical therapy, chiropractic care or pain management.
If you are prescribed medication, ask the pharmacy and adjuster how work-injury prescriptions are handled. Many prescriptions can be delivered to your home, which can help if driving is painful.
Prescribed medication? Learn about prescription home delivery, common medications after work injuries, or find pharmacies near you. Your doctor and pharmacist decide what is right for you.
When people often talk to an attorney
- There is confusion about who your employer is, or you are told you are not covered.
- The agency says you should have refused the task, or the claim is denied for that reason.
- Your hours or client assignments are cut after you report.
- Your back pain keeps you from returning to hands-on care.
- There are disputes about specialist care or physical therapy.
- You are offered a settlement and are unsure what it covers.
Learn more: what a workers' comp attorney does. Many offer a free first consultation; fees in workers' comp are often regulated by the state.
Recovery and going back to work
Do the home exercises your clinician gives you, and keep appointments even if visits feel hard to fit around your schedule.
Ask your doctor for clear written restrictions, such as no lifting or transfers. Ask your agency whether there are clients or tasks that fit them, like companionship, meal preparation or scheduling work.
Stay in touch with your coordinator and adjuster after each visit. If a client's needs have changed, it is reasonable to ask the agency to review the care plan before you return.
Questions to ask
- Agency: Who do I report this to, and where should I be seen?
- Agency: Can I get a copy of my injury report and the client's care plan as it relates to transfers?
- Agency: Are there assignments that fit my restrictions?
- Doctor: Which movements should I avoid while I heal?
- Doctor: Are there symptoms that mean I need to come back right away?
- Adjuster: Who is the insurer for my agency, and what is my claim number?
- Attorney: How does my state treat home care workers who are paid through a program or a family?
Frequently asked questions
What should a home health aide do after a back injury helping a client at home?
Make sure the client is safe, call your agency right away and report the injury in writing. Then get checked by a clinician. Write down the task, the setting and any problems in the home.
Is a home health aide covered by workers' comp?
Many home health aides are covered through the agency that employs them, but it depends on your state and how you are employed. Ask your agency and check with your state's workers' compensation agency.
Who do I report to — the client's family or my agency?
Usually your agency or employer, since they handle the workers' compensation process. You may also let the family know for scheduling. Put your report to the agency in writing.
What if there was no lift or grab bar in the home?
Note it in your report and in your own records. Describing the setting helps explain what happened. It is also fair to ask the agency to review the care plan before you return.
Can I keep working with other clients while my back heals?
Maybe, if your doctor sets restrictions and the agency has suitable assignments. Get restrictions in writing. Do not take on transfers your doctor has told you to avoid.
Can my prescriptions be delivered to my home after a work injury?
Often, yes. Many pharmacies offer delivery, and your adjuster can tell you how work-injury prescriptions are handled. Ask both before your first fill.
Related situations
Industries where this often happens
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).