Hurt at work in Tempe: filing workers' comp and finding a work injury lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

Tell your employer right away, then file a written claim with the Industrial Commission of Arizona within one year.12 You will find the Claims Division at 800 W. Washington St. in Phoenix, (602) 542-4661.3 Filing costs nothing.4 If someone outside your job caused the injury, the time to sue is shorter than you might expect.5

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Road map of Tempe, a job center where nearly 230,000 employees commute in each day
Arizona work injury? Written claim is due within one year. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What should I do first after a work injury in Tempe?

  1. Tell your supervisor now, and put it in writing. Arizona law says to report an injury right away, because waiting can cost you benefits.1
  2. See a doctor and say clearly that the injury happened at work.
  3. File the Worker's Report of Injury with the Industrial Commission. It is free,4 and the form comes in Spanish.6
  4. Send private papers by fax to (602) 542-3373 or by mail. The Commission says not to email Social Security numbers.7
  5. Write down what happened, who saw it and what equipment was involved. Take photos if your employer allows it.

Who handles workers' comp for jobs in Tempe?

A state agency, not the city. The Industrial Commission of Arizona runs the system from Phoenix.3 That holds true no matter where you live. Nearly 230,000 employees commute into Tempe each day, so many people hurt here live in Mesa, Chandler or Phoenix.8 Your claim is the same either way.

Workers' comp does not depend on who was at fault. The Commission says you get medical and compensation benefits no matter who caused the job accident.9 In exchange, it is usually your only claim against your employer or a coworker, unless their willful misconduct caused the injury.10

What if I work for ASU or the City of Tempe?

Your employerWhat to do
Arizona State University, including student workersASU says staff, faculty and student workers are covered. Advise your supervisor and call the state's early reporting line at 1-800-837-8583 within 24 hours.11
City of TempeRisk Management processes city employee workers' comp claims. Reach it at 480-350-8321.1213
A private company in TempeTell your employer, and file with the Industrial Commission.2

The one-year filing rule with the Commission applies whichever employer you have.14 An internal report is not the same as filing a claim.

Who investigates a dangerous job site in Tempe?

Arizona's job safety agency, ADOSH. Employers must report a work death within 8 hours, and any hospital admission, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours.15 You can reach its Phoenix office at (602) 542-5795 or toll free at (855) 268-5251.16 A safety complaint is separate from your comp claim and does not replace it.

Can I sue someone else for my Tempe work injury?

Often, yes, and this is the part many people miss. If someone outside your job caused your injury, you can bring a claim against that person too.17 A delivery driver rear-ended on Rural Road is a typical example. So is a worker on a Tempe site hurt by another company's crew or by a machine with a defect.

The clock is tight. If you do not sue the outside person within one year, your claim is treated as handed over to the workers' comp insurer.5 Crashes are common on Tempe's roads, with 6,637 reported in 2024.18 If yours happened while you were working, ask about both claims at once. The crash report is on BuyCrash for city streets,19 and DPS has the freeways.20

What if my Tempe employer has no workers' comp insurance?

An employer who skips required coverage loses its protection and can be sued in regular court.21 The Commission's Claims Division lists a Workers' Compensation Coverage Verification tool, so you can look up your employer.22 Do this early. Small contractors, restaurants and cash-pay jobs are worth checking.

What if my workers' comp claim is denied in Tempe?

A denial is not the end. Read the notice carefully, because it will have its own short deadline to protest. Call the Claims Division at (602) 542-4661 and ask what to file.3 Bring your records. If the hospital was HonorHealth, requests go through its records team, and someone acting for you must show the right to see them.23

Beware of anyone who asks you for money to process your claim. The Commission does not charge a fee.4 A work injury lawyer can review your denial and tell you what the time limits are.

How long do I have to file a work injury claim in Arizona?

WhatDeadline
Tell your employerRight away1
Written claim with the Commission1 year, starting when the injury shows or you should have known2
Suit against someone outside your job1 year, or the claim is treated as handed to the insurer5
General injury suit, if you are not covered by comp2 years24

What should I ask a workers' comp lawyer in Tempe?

  • Could someone other than my employer also be responsible?
  • Has my employer's insurer filed anything about me yet?
  • What happens to my paycheck while the claim is open?
  • How does your fee work, and does the Commission review it?

Questions

Can I be fired for filing workers' comp in Tempe?

Ask a lawyer about your specific facts. Do not let fear of losing your job delay your report, since delay can cost benefits.1

Is there a form in Spanish?

Yes. The Worker's Report of Injury, Form 407, is available in Spanish.6

Does it matter if the accident was my fault?

Not for benefits. Workers' comp pays no matter who caused the job accident.9

Do student workers at ASU have coverage?

ASU lists student workers as covered.11

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Tempe

Hurt at work

Arizona

Sources

  1. A.R.S. § 23-908(E)-(F), checked 2026-11-08. “the employee shall forthwith report the accident and the injury resulting from the accident to the employer [...] no compensation shall be paid for the injury claimed to have resulted from the accident.”
  2. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “An injured worker must file a claim in writing with the Commission within one year after the injury occurred.”
  3. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Phoenix: 800 W Washington St, Phoenix AZ 85007 - Phone: (602) 542-4661”
  4. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “The Industrial Commission of Arizona does not charge a fee to process a workplace injury claim.”
  5. A.R.S. § 23-1023(B), checked 2026-11-08. “do not pursue a remedy pursuant to this section against the other person by instituting an action within one year after the cause of action accrues [...] the claim against the other person is deemed assigned to the insurance carrier or self-insured employer”
  6. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Formulario de informe de lesión del trabajador - 407”
  7. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Instead, FAX such materials to the FAX number below or mail paper copies to a mailing address below.”
  8. Tempe Transportation Plan 2050, Understanding, checked 2026-11-08. “nearly 230,000 employees commute into Tempe”
  9. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “you receive medical and compensation benefits no matter who caused the job-related accident.”
  10. A.R.S. § 23-1022(A), checked 2026-11-08. “The right to recover compensation pursuant to this chapter for injuries sustained by an employee or for the death of an employee is the exclusive remedy against the employer or any co-employee acting in the scope of his employment [...] the injured employee may either claim compensation or maintain an action at law for damages against the person or entity alleged to have engaged in the wilful misconduct.”
  11. ASU, Post-incident Reporting, checked 2026-11-08. “The claim must be made within 24 hours. 1-800-837-8583”
  12. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “processing city employee worker's compensation claims”
  13. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “City of Tempe City Clerk's Office 31 E. 5th Street, 2nd Floor Tempe, AZ 85281”
  14. A.R.S. § 23-1061(A), checked 2026-11-08. “no claim for compensation shall be valid or enforceable unless the claim is filed with the commission by the employee, or if resulting in death by the parties entitled to compensation, or someone on their behalf, in writing within one year after the injury occurred or the right thereto accrued.”
  15. ADOSH, checked 2026-11-08. “All work-related fatalities within 8 hours following the incident.”
  16. ADOSH, checked 2026-11-08. “Toll Free: (855) 268-5251”
  17. A.R.S. § 23-1023(A), checked 2026-11-08. “by the negligence or wrong of another person not in the same employ, the injured employee, or in event of death the injured employee's dependents, may pursue the injured person's remedy against the other person.”
  18. ADOT, 2024 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-08. “| Tempe | 6,637 | 29 | 2,049 | 4,559 | 32 | 3,007 | 295 | 5 | 225 |”
  19. Tempe Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “Accident reports approved for public release are available online from November 1, 2021 to the present.”
  20. Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “maintains records for collisions (accidents) that were investigated by DPS Troopers occurring on an Interstate or State Highway”
  21. A.R.S. § 23-907(A), checked 2026-11-08. “Employers who are subject to and who fail to comply with section 23-961 or 23-962 shall not be entitled to the benefits of this chapter during the period of noncompliance, but shall be liable in an action under any other applicable law of the state.”
  22. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Workers' Compensation Coverage Verification”
  23. HonorHealth, Request medical records, checked 2026-11-08. “please provide proper documentation proving the right to the patient's medical records”
  24. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”

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