Arkansas Workers Comp Claim

By Oleg Kachko · Updated October 7, 2026

✓ Verified October 2026

Filing an Arkansas workers comp claim comes down to two deadlines and a few clear steps: report the injury to your employer, get medical care, and file with the state before the statute of limitations runs out. This guide walks through the Arkansas process in plain English, with the exact deadlines you cannot miss. All figures are from Arkansas sources, verified as of October 2026.

Arkansas at a Glance

Report to employer	Arkansas does not set a fixed number of days. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-701, the worker must report the injury to the employer immediately, using Form AR-N (“Employee’s Notice of Injury”), and give it to the person or place the employer names. The employer does not have to pay disability, medical or other benefits for the time before it receives the worker’s report. The rule does not apply if the injury leaves the worker physically or mentally unable to report, or if the employer learns of the injury right after it happens. If the worker needs emergency treatment outside the employer’s normal business hours, the report is due on the employer’s next regular business day. A late notice does not end the claim if the employer already knew about the injury, if the worker did not know the condition was work-related, or if the Commission excuses the delay for a satisfactory reason.
Deadline to file	2 years. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-702(a), a claim must be filed with the Commission within 2 years from the date of the compensable injury. For occupational disease or infection, it is 2 years from the last harmful exposure. Silicosis and asbestosis claims must be filed within 1 year after disablement, and the disablement must happen within 3 years of the last exposure. If any compensation (disability or medical) has already been paid, a claim for more compensation must be filed within 1 year from the last payment or 2 years from the injury date, whichever is later (§ 11-9-702(b)). Once a claim is filed, it is barred if the worker then gets no weekly benefits and no medical treatment for the injury for 2 years.
Where to file	The Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission (AWCC). The worker or their attorney files Form AR-C (“Claim for Compensation”) directly with the AWCC. The form is on the Commission’s forms page at labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-forms/. The worker separately gives Form AR-N to the employer.
Choose your doctor?	In general, the employer chooses the treating doctor (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-514). If the employer chose the doctor, the worker can petition the Commission one time only to change doctors. The Commission picks the second doctor and does not have to follow either side’s suggestion. An informal switch that the employer agrees to does not count as that one-time change. To change to a chiropractor, optometrist or podiatrist, the worker can give advance written notice to the employer or carrier. Except for emergencies, the worker may have to pay for care from a doctor who was not authorized under these rules.
Benefits start	The first 7 days of disability are not paid (not counting the day of injury). If the disability lasts beyond that, pay begins on the 9th day. If the disability lasts 2 weeks, the first 7 days are paid back, starting from the first day of disability (§ 11-9-501). The first payment is due on the 15th day after the employer gets notice of the injury, and payments then come every 2 weeks (§ 11-9-802). If an installment under an award is paid more than 15 days late, a 20% penalty is added.

⚠ Deadlines you cannot miss in Arkansas: you generally must report the injury to your employer within Arkansas does not set a fixed number of days. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-701, the worker must report the injury to the employer immediately, using Form AR-N (“Employee’s Notice of Injury”), and give it to the person or place the employer names. The employer does not have to pay disability, medical or other benefits for the time before it receives the worker’s report. The rule does not apply if the injury leaves the worker physically or mentally unable to report, or if the employer learns of the injury right after it happens. If the worker needs emergency treatment outside the employer’s normal business hours, the report is due on the employer’s next regular business day. A late notice does not end the claim if the employer already knew about the injury, if the worker did not know the condition was work-related, or if the Commission excuses the delay for a satisfactory reason., and file your claim within 2 years. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-702(a), a claim must be filed with the Commission within 2 years from the date of the compensable injury. For occupational disease or infection, it is 2 years from the last harmful exposure. Silicosis and asbestosis claims must be filed within 1 year after disablement, and the disablement must happen within 3 years of the last exposure. If any compensation (disability or medical) has already been paid, a claim for more compensation must be filed within 1 year from the last payment or 2 years from the injury date, whichever is later (§ 11-9-702(b)). Once a claim is filed, it is barred if the worker then gets no weekly benefits and no medical treatment for the injury for 2 years.. Miss a deadline and you can lose the right to benefits entirely.

In This Arkansas Guide:

How to File
Choosing a Doctor
If You Are Denied
After You File
Do It Right
FAQ
Official Sources

Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim in Arkansas

How to File a Workers’ Comp Claim in Arkansas

First steps: (1) Get emergency medical care if needed. (2) Report the injury to the employer right away on Form AR-N, to the person or place the employer has named. Keep a copy. (3) Use the doctor the employer or insurer chooses, except in an emergency. (4) Write down the date, time, place, any witnesses and how the injury happened.

(5) Watch the 2-year deadline and file Form AR-C with the AWCC to protect the claim. Confirm the details with the AWCC and a licensed attorney.

Choosing a Doctor in Arkansas

In general, the employer chooses the treating doctor (Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-514). If the employer chose the doctor, the worker can petition the Commission one time only to change doctors. The Commission picks the second doctor and does not have to follow either side’s suggestion. An informal switch that the employer agrees to does not count as that one-time change.

To change to a chiropractor, optometrist or podiatrist, the worker can give advance written notice to the employer or carrier. Except for emergencies, the worker may have to pay for care from a doctor who was not authorized under these rules.

What to Do If Your Arkansas Claim Is Denied

File Form AR-C with the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission and ask for a hearing. An Administrative Law Judge hears the case and issues a decision. Either side can ask the Full Commission, in writing, to review that decision. After the Full Commission rules, either side can appeal to the Arkansas Court of Appeals (§ 11-9-711). Many claimants talk to a licensed Arkansas workers’ comp attorney before or during this process.

Appeal deadline: 30 days. To appeal an Administrative Law Judge’s decision to the Full Commission, file a written petition within 30 days of receiving it. To appeal a Full Commission decision to the Arkansas Court of Appeals, file a notice of appeal within 30 days of receiving it (§ 11-9-711).

Was your claim denied? A denial is not the end of the road in Arkansas — many denials are overturned on appeal. A workers’ comp attorney can review your case, usually for a free consultation.

What Happens After You File in Arkansas

Once your claim is filed in Arkansas, the employer’s insurer reviews it and either accepts it, asks for more information, or denies it. If it is accepted, your medical treatment is covered and your wage benefits begin after the waiting period.

Keep copies of everything — the injury report, your medical records, and any letters from the insurer — because they are what protect your claim if there is ever a dispute.

Common Mistakes That Hurt an Arkansas Claim

The two most common ways injured workers in Arkansas lose benefits are missing a deadline and gaps in medical treatment. Report the injury in writing as soon as you can, see a doctor and follow the treatment plan, and do not assume a verbal mention to a supervisor counts as official notice. If anything about the process is unclear, your state workers’-comp board can walk you through the next step.

Other Arkansas claim rules: (1) The employer does not owe benefits for the period before it receives the worker’s injury report (§ 11-9-701), so reporting immediately matters. (2) The one-time change of doctor counts only when the Commission orders it (§ 11-9-514). (3) A filed claim is barred if the worker gets no weekly benefits and no medical treatment for 2 years after filing (§ 11-9-702).

(4) Silicosis and asbestosis have a shorter deadline: 1 year from disablement, with disablement within 3 years of the last exposure. (5) The AWCC’s Springdale office number is 1-800-852-5376. Confirm all details with the AWCC and a licensed attorney.

Filing Your Arkansas Workers Comp Claim the Right Way

An Arkansas workers comp claim stands or falls on two things: hitting the deadlines and documenting the injury. Report the injury to your employer within the state window, file the Arkansas workers comp claim with the right agency before the statute of limitations runs out, and keep seeing your doctor.

Most denied claims come down to a missed deadline or a thin medical record — get both right and your Arkansas workers comp claim is on solid ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to report a work injury in Arkansas?

In Arkansas, you generally must tell your employer within Arkansas does not set a fixed number of days. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-701, the worker must report the injury to the employer immediately, using Form AR-N (“Employee’s Notice of Injury”), and give it to the person or place the employer names.

The employer does not have to pay disability, medical or other benefits for the time before it receives the worker’s report. The rule does not apply if the injury leaves the worker physically or mentally unable to report, or if the employer learns of the injury right after it happens.

If the worker needs emergency treatment outside the employer’s normal business hours, the report is due on the employer’s next regular business day. A late notice does not end the claim if the employer already knew about the injury, if the worker did not know the condition was work-related, or if the Commission excuses the delay for a satisfactory reason. of the injury.

Report it in writing as soon as you can — waiting can put your benefits at risk.

How long do I have to file a workers’ comp claim in Arkansas?

The Arkansas statute of limitations to file is 2 years. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-702(a), a claim must be filed with the Commission within 2 years from the date of the compensable injury. For occupational disease or infection, it is 2 years from the last harmful exposure.

Silicosis and asbestosis claims must be filed within 1 year after disablement, and the disablement must happen within 3 years of the last exposure. If any compensation (disability or medical) has already been paid, a claim for more compensation must be filed within 1 year from the last payment or 2 years from the injury date, whichever is later (§ 11-9-702(b)).

Once a claim is filed, it is barred if the worker then gets no weekly benefits and no medical treatment for the injury for 2 years.. Reporting the injury and filing the claim are two separate deadlines — do not rely on one to cover the other.

What if my Arkansas workers’ comp claim is denied?

Official Arkansas Sources & Resources

Arkansas Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission (AWCC): https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/
Arkansas Workers’ Comp Statute: https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-11/chapter-9/subchapter-7/section-11-9-702/
U.S. Department of Labor — Workers’ Comp: dol.gov
Insurance Information Institute: iii.org

This Arkansas workers comp claim guide was last verified against official sources in October 2026. Deadlines and procedures change — confirm the current rule with your state workers’-comp board or a licensed attorney.

More Arkansas Workers’ Comp Guides

Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, medical, or financial advice. Workers Comp Explained is an independent educational resource, not a law firm or insurer. Workers’ comp benefits, settlement values, deadlines, and requirements vary by state and by the specific facts of your injury and change over time, and any settlement figures here are illustrative only.

Confirm your rights and any deadline with your state’s workers’ compensation board and a licensed attorney before you act.

Need a policy for your business? Compare small-business insurance at Business Insure Guide. Hurt by a defective product or a third party at work? See active cases at Mass Tort Info. Cannot return to your job? Protect your income - compare life cover at Life Insure Guide.

How to File an Arkansas Workers’ Comp Claim — Best Proven Guide (2026)