Recurrence...


What is a Recurrence?
A recurrence refers to the relationship between the present medical condition and a previous condition already reported to the WSIB.

The WSIB compares the previous and the new medical conditions. Similar medical conditions suggest that the current problem is the result of a recurrence of the previous injury or illness. Complaints by the worker, symptoms, work restrictions, treatment or change in lifestyles are considered.

The previous claim will be reopened if:

• the relationship between the previous and the new condition is obvious
• the continuity, duration or symptoms have continued uninterrupted between the previous and the new conditions
• the new condition is compatible with the previous condition
• no new incident took place

Note: This list is not restrictive or absolute. A claim may still be considered a recurrence even if a new incident did occur. If a worker has a pre-existing medical condition because of a previous injury or illness and a new incident makes that condition worse, the claim can still be a recurrence as long as the new incident has no significant affect on the worker's overall condition.



Why use the RE07?
A recurrence is not considered a new incident in experience rating plans.

Submitting a Form WRE07 ensures that the WSIB will not assign a new claim number to this incident.

Submitting a WRE07 can expedite the claim process and benefit the Board by avoiding the problem of amalgamating a new claim into an existing claim.

In addition, if the worker was employed by a different employer at the time of the previous incident, that employer is charged the total cost of the incident.

While it is a violation of the Human Rights Code to enquire about WSIB claims which may have been filed by a prospective worker, claims filed while in your company's employ can be a valuable source of information in assessing your portion of any future SIEF relief proceedings, or in helping to establish a basis for filing a WRE07.

As the nature of the injury or disease becomes clearer, you should be able to identify if the incident is related in any way to a previous WSIB claim. Unrelated incidents have no connection whatsoever to any previous incident suffered by the worker. If severe enough, they may warrant the initiation of claim proceedings with the submission of a Form 7. Related incidents, on the other hand, may be defined as the re-emergence of the symptoms or conditions brought on by a previous incident. Pulling the same muscle a second time, for example, or developing the same skin rash are examples of recurrence.

The WRE07 informs the WSIB that a condition exists that may initiate the reopening of a claim as opposed to creating a new claim.

 

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