A missed reporting deadline derails a workers' comp claim – see what HR leaders need to know
A Tennessee car hauler’s workers’ comp claim was denied after he missed the reporting deadline, putting HR compliance and injury protocols under the microscope.
Wayne Freeman, a longtime employee of United Road Services, Inc., alleged that his right-shoulder injury developed from overusing his arm after a previous left-shoulder injury. According to his complaint, Freeman’s right arm “hurt like crazy” after unloading cars in Kingsport, Tennessee, on April 6, 2024 – the last day he worked before undergoing surgery on his left shoulder. But Freeman did not report his right-arm injury to his employer or their insurance carrier until May 1 and May 2, 2024 – 25 days after the incident.
Freeman said he believed the pain would go away after his surgery and that medication left him incapacitated for weeks, delaying his awareness of the injury. He also claimed he didn’t realize how serious the injury was until a friend noticed he couldn’t raise his right arm. The employer and its insurer denied the claim, pointing to Tennessee’s requirement that workplace injuries be reported in writing within 15 days, unless there’s a reasonable excuse.
At an expedited hearing, Judge Thomas Wyatt reviewed the timeline and Freeman’s explanations. On October 17, 2025, the court found that Freeman did not provide timely written notice of his right-arm injury as required by state law. The judge determined the...
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