Accident Investigations:
Avoiding Common
Mistakes
Kim Nimmo
Risk Services Consultant
1
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
Objectives

What is an accident?
 Recognize the occurrence of an accident/injury



What to report and why?
When to report an accident/injury?
How to complete the report?
 Documenting and preserving evidence
 Where to find the report
2
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
What is an Accident?

Unplanned event with negative outcome
(personal injury or property damage)

Accidents are the result of people, equipment,
materials or environment failing to perform as
expected or required

All accidents have consequences or
outcomes
Nobody Knows Education Better
3
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
What Should Be Reported






4
All injuries regardless of severity
Vehicular, structural or equipment damage
Procedural deficiencies
Potentially unsafe conditions
Potentially unsafe behaviors
Near-miss incidents
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
Why: Regulatory Reporting Requirements
5
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
When to Report

Immediately after
incident
 Witnesses memories fade
 Evidence and clues
are moved or lost
6

Finish initial
investigation quickly

The incident will be
reviewed months or
years later.
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
How to Report an Injury:
Documenting and Preserving Evidence
7
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
Documentation
Just the facts!
8
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
What You DON’T Want in Your Reports
9

Subjective conclusions or assumptions as to
who is at fault

Opinions on how accident could have been
avoided

Unsubstantiated evidence
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
Critical Documentation: Be Specific
 What happened and when?
 Where did it happen?
 Who was involved?
 Who witnessed it?
 Who responded?
 How did it happen?
10
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
CUA – First Report of Injury Form
11
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
CUA – First Report of Injury Form
12
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
13
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
Injuries / Damages
 Physical signs of injury
 Difficulty moving parts
of body
 Taken to hospital?
 Treatment given and by
whom
 Evidence of property
damage
 Statements made
relating to prior history
14
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
15
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
Accident Details
 Weather conditions
 Location of each
individual
 Destination
 Reason for being there
 Familiarity with location
 Type of surface
 Foreign objects or
substances
16
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
17
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
When to Report

Immediately after
incident
 Witnesses memories fade
 Evidence and clues
are moved or lost
18

Finish initial
investigation quickly

The incident will be
reviewed months or
years later.
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
Objectives review

What is an accident?
 Recognize the occurrence of an accident/injury



What to report and why?
When to report an accident/injury?
How to complete the report?
 Documenting & preserving
evidence
 Where to find the report
19
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org
Q&A
20
Education's Own Insurance Company
www.ue.org