If you were hurt at work in BC, you can usually start physiotherapy without waiting for a doctor’s referral, and once WorkSafeBC accepts your claim, your treatment is paid for. What you need first is a reported injury and, soon after, a claim number.
That is the short version. The longer version matters because a work injury comes with paperwork at the exact moment you least want to deal with paperwork. So here is the order things happen in, what WorkSafeBC actually says, and where people tend to get stuck.
Step one: tell your employer, then report it
WorkSafeBC’s own advice starts with your health and safety. Once you are safe, let your employer know you were hurt. Then report the injury to WorkSafeBC to start your claim.
You can report online at any hour, or by phone through their Teleclaim line at 1.888.967.5377. Phone is the better route for some situations, including injuries that developed gradually over time rather than in one incident. Repetitive strain from a desk, a sore shoulder from months of lifting, that kind of thing.
Have a few things ready when you report: your contact details and your employer’s, your Personal Health Number, the date and place you were hurt and how it happened, and the details of any medical care you have already had.
You have up to one year to report a work injury. Do not use all of it. WorkSafeBC is clear that the sooner they hear from you, the sooner they can make a decision on your claim, and that decision is what lets payment for your care begin.
The numbers you will get, and the one that matters most
After you report, WorkSafeBC mails you up to four confidential numbers. The one you will use constantly is your claim number. It is an 8-digit number, shared with you, your employer and your health care providers, and it goes on every conversation and every receipt from here on.
Write it somewhere you will find it again. Your phone notes, the inside of a kitchen cupboard, wherever works. You will be asked for it more times than you expect.
Do you need a referral for WorkSafeBC physiotherapy?
WorkSafeBC’s guidelines for physiotherapy ask you to see a physiotherapist and explain that your injury is work related. They do not ask for a physician’s referral first. Massage therapy is different and does need one, which is part of why people assume the same rule applies everywhere.
We wrote a whole post on whether you need a referral for physiotherapy in BC, because the same confusion slows people down outside of work claims too.
Seeing your family doctor is still a good idea if you are worried about the injury, and it is essential if you have numbness, weakness, or pain that is getting worse rather than better. A referral is just not a gate you have to pass through to start physio.
Who pays, and when
This is the part people most want explained clearly, so here it is in WorkSafeBC’s terms.
Once WorkSafeBC accepts your claim, they cover health care that is reasonably necessary to treat your injury, and your provider bills them directly. You should not have to pay fees for that treatment.
Before a claim is accepted, things are less automatic. WorkSafeBC says physiotherapists who have a contract with them can provide an initial assessment even before your claim is accepted, and bill WorkSafeBC for it. For other care received before acceptance, you may be asked to pay and then request reimbursement once the claim goes through.
If you see a physiotherapist who is not contracted with WorkSafeBC, you pay for the visit and claim it back, and WorkSafeBC reimburses at its own set rate. You are responsible for any difference. The rates are published on WorkSafeBC’s page about health care benefits for injured workers, and they change, so check there rather than relying on a figure you read somewhere else.
Not sure how any of that applies to your claim here? Ask us before your first appointment, not after. Email [email protected] with your claim number and we will tell you exactly how billing will work for you.
What physiotherapy for a work injury actually looks like
The first visit is mostly listening and looking. Your physiotherapist will ask how the injury happened, what hurts, and what you are struggling to do. Then they will check how the area moves, where it is weak, and what makes it better or worse.
Work injuries come with one extra question that a weekend tweak does not: how does this affect your job? WorkSafeBC expects physiotherapists to talk with you about exactly that. Can you lift what you normally lift? Sit for a full shift? Reach overhead, climb a ladder, type for hours?
Treatment is then built around getting you back to those things. Depending on the injury, it might include hands-on manual therapy, exercises to rebuild strength and range, and advice on what to do and what to ease off on in the meantime. You leave with a plan rather than a vague instruction to rest.
You can read more about how we approach physiotherapy in South Surrey, including the conditions and techniques we work with.
Returning to work is part of the treatment
WorkSafeBC encourages injured workers to stay connected to their workplace and to ask about modified duties that help recovery. That can sound like pressure. It is not meant to be.
For many injuries, staying gently active and doing some version of your normal routine helps more than total rest. Your physiotherapist can help you work out what is realistic right now, and how that changes week by week as you improve.
If you have been off work, being honest about what you can and cannot do is the most useful thing you can bring to each appointment. Nobody is grading you. The goal is a return that sticks, not a fast one that sends you back to square one.
Keep a short record from week one
A few lines a day is enough. Could not lift the recycling bin. Shoulder ached by noon. Slept through the night for the first time. Managed a half shift.
It helps your physiotherapist see the real pattern rather than the version you remember on the day of your appointment. It also helps you notice progress, which is rarely a straight line. A bad Tuesday feels like going backwards until your notes show the bad days used to be every day.
If it was a car crash instead
Different insurer, different rules. Crash injuries in BC go through ICBC, which has its own pre-approved treatments and its own 12 week window. We covered that in how many physio sessions ICBC covers, and how we handle ICBC claims in South Surrey.
Common questions
Does WorkSafeBC cover physiotherapy?
Yes. Once your claim is accepted, WorkSafeBC covers treatment that is reasonably necessary for your work injury, and physiotherapy is one of the services it pays for. At Refined, WorkSafeBC claims apply to physiotherapy.
Can I start physio before my claim is accepted?
Often, yes. WorkSafeBC says contracted physiotherapists can provide an initial assessment before a claim is accepted. Email us with your situation and we will tell you what applies.
What if my injury built up slowly rather than happening all at once?
It can still be a work injury. WorkSafeBC recommends reporting gradual injuries by phone, so they can connect you with the right people.
How long do I have to report a work injury?
Up to one year from the date you were hurt. Reporting sooner means a decision on your claim, and payment for your care, comes sooner too.
Do I book online?
Not for WorkSafeBC claims. These are arranged by email, because the claim details need to be set up before your appointment.
Get started
If you have been hurt at work, the most useful thing you can do today is report it and send us your claim number when you have it. Email [email protected] or call (604) 606-7519, and we will help you get booked in with physiotherapy and answer any questions about how your claim works here.