Making a claim for occupational disease
What information do I need to provide?
What happens when the WSIB receives my claim?
Whom can I call to ask about it?
When to make a claim
You can make a claim if you think that you are ill because of something you did at work or were exposed to during work.
You can make a claim through:
- your employer
- your doctor
- your union
- an advocate of your choice or
- yourself
*There is no time limit for filing an occupational disease claim.
Setting up a claim
You or your physician can call, write, or fax basic information about the diagnosis to the WSIB in order to set up a claim. Your doctor can start by sending us a Health Professional's Report (form 8). Your doctor can obtain the form by calling 1-800-387-0750, or downloading and completing the form off our website.
You can also fill out the Worker's Report of Injury/Disease Form 6 available online. Or you can sign your employer's Form 7 (Employer's Report of Injury/Disease).
Once we receive information about your claim, we will assign a claim number and adjudicator from our Occupational Disease and Survivor Benefits (OD&SB) Program to your case.
What information do I need to provide?
First, you need these facts:
- your name
- address
- date of birth
- social insurance number
- the name and location of your employer(s)
- the symptoms or illness for which you are making a claim
Tell your doctor what substances and conditions you have been exposed to at work, even if your illness is short-term.
Your adjudicator needs information about your exposure and medical treatment. It’s helpful if you can:
- Describe your symptoms and when they began
- List the substances you were exposed to, and describe the type of work you were doing
- Provide the names and addresses of all doctors you have seen for this illness, and the dates of all medical visits
- Often you need a medical specialist to diagnose an occupational disease. Your adjudicator may ask you to sign a permission form so that he or she can get the specialist’s report.
Some illnesses take many years to develop. It is helpful to have detailed information about your previous jobs and employers, with dates of employment, how long the job lasted, and types of jobs done.
What happens when the WSIB receives my claim?
After we register your claim, an adjudicator or nurse case manager will call you to find out how you are and to get any information still needed to make a decision on your claim.
When a claim is registered, we give it an 8-digit claim number. An adjudicator considers the information and makes decisions on claims for disability benefits. A nurse case manager monitors the rehabilitation and health care needs of ill or injured workers.
How long will it take?
How long it takes to decide your claim can vary a lot. It depends how long it takes to gather all your workplace exposure information and medical reports from your doctor.
Who can I call to ask about it?
Until you receive your claim number, you may call the Occupational Disease and Survivor Benefits Program at 1-800-387-0750 with any questions.
Once an adjudicator has your claim, you can call your adjudicator directly with questions. The phone number will be printed on all letters and forms you receive from the WSIB.
