It depends on the state. The type of injury can also impact how long you must retain these workers comp claim records. Medical-only/first-aid injuries generally can be closed/records archived sooner than indemnity cases — sometimes indemnity cases take years before the case closes/settles. Please keep in mind, even after a work comp case is closed, it can be reopened.
Work Comp injuries are monitored/tracked by 2 organizations: 1. OSHA (Fed Goverment) and 2. a state’s workers’ comp division.
OSHA mandates that regular reporting of claims on a document, OSHA 301 Incident Report, summarized by the OSHA 300 log. These records must be retained for at least 5 years.
Companies must retain medical records for workers exposed to toxic elements or blood-borne pathogens for at least 30 years after the employee’s termination.