Faxed claim-related form submissions (including IME reports) no longer accepted starting April 1, 2026

In January, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) announced that effective April 1, 2026, faxed submissions of claim-related documents will no longer be accepted.  This includes independent medical examination (IME) reports.  Under New York State Workers’ Compensation Law (NYS WCL) Section 137(1)(a), IME reports must be submitted on the same day and in the same manner to all required parties, including the injured worker (claimant).

NYS WCL § 137(1)(a) states: “A copy of each report of independent medical examination shall be submitted by the practitioner on the same day and in the same manner to the Board, the insurance carrier, the claimant's attending physician or other attending practitioner, the claimant's representative and the claimant.”

The decommission of the fax number for claim-related documents is part of the Board’s ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of processing workers' compensation claims.  As noted above, IME reports must be submitted in the same manner to all parties.  Information and instructions on alternative submission options are available on the Forms webpage.

Questions?