Start with the issue actually in dispute
No witness to the work injury is mainly a problem of contemporaneous documentation and consistency. Build the file around the written notice, dated record, or event that created the problem.
Documents to gather
First report, medical note, supervisor message, photos, location records, and later witness information.
Questions to answer before acting
- What changed, on what date, and who made the decision?
- Is there a written notice or only a phone conversation?
- Which medical, wage, employment, or incident record directly addresses the dispute?
- What state or federal agency procedure controls the next step?
- Is there a separate employment, third-party, leave, or discrimination issue that should not be mixed into the workers’ compensation question?
Important caution
A missing eyewitness does not replace the need for a consistent dated record.