What is a Notice of Compensation Payable (NCP)?

What is a notice of compensation payable?

Once an employer sends the Workers’ Compensation Carrier notice of your work injury, they have 21 days to respond in the form of a Denial or Notice of Compensation Payable. The notice should come in the form of a letter via postal mail. Whether denied or accepted, I always advise consulting a Workers’ Compensation attorney to review your situation and be prepared to respond when necessary.

What is a Notice of Compensation Payable?

An NCP, or Notice of Compensation Payable, is issued by the Workers’ Compensation Carrier accepting the claim and agreeing to pay wage loss and medical benefits, or just medical benefits. This can also be in the form of a Notice of Temporary Compensation Payable, which is only valid for 90 days.

The Notice of Compensation Payable is your ticket — the document you want to receive! In short, the Workers’ Compensation Carrier has agreed to cover your work injury.

Even though the workers’ compensation carrier is required to give you, the injured worker, a copy of the Notice of Compensation Payable in whatever form it takes, they often do not. As a result, you may have no idea whether your claim has been accepted for wage loss and/or medical benefits — temporarily or permanently — or which injuries have been accepted. This is why it is important to consult with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer who can research the particulars of your situation and find out exactly what has been accepted and how.

Once the exact status of your situation is determined, your workers’ compensation attorney can guide you through which Petitions, if any, need to be filed to protect your rights and even your credit if medical bills are not being paid by the workers’ compensation carrier.

It is also important to make sure that your wages have been calculated properly to ensure that you receive the correct amount of workers’ compensation weekly benefits. Don’t leave these important details to chance — do yourself a favor and consult promptly with a workers’ compensation attorney.

Keep in mind that in time, the Workers’ Compensation Carrier will want to stop benefits. This may come in the form of a settlement or a request to modify, suspend, or terminate benefits. Even if you receive an NCP, it is still a good idea to retain a workers’ compensation attorney to have on your side for all issues that will arise. It is not a matter of “if” — it is a matter of “when.”