District of Columbia Workers Comp Statute of Limitations
The clock on a District of Columbia workers comp claim starts the day you're injured, not the day you get around to filing. Understanding exactly when it runs out matters more than almost anything else in the process.
Filing Deadline
1 year
From the date of injury. Some exceptions apply — see tolling rules below. Not legal advice.
Why This Deadline Exists
District of Columbia sets this deadline to keep the system functional for everyone — employers need certainty about how long they're exposed to a claim, and injured workers need a predictable window to act within.
When the Deadline Can Be Extended
District of Columbia, like most states, recognizes that not every injury announces itself immediately. Occupational diseases discovered well after the triggering exposure typically get a modified deadline tied to diagnosis rather than exposure date. Similar flexibility sometimes applies to minors or where an employer actively concealed a workplace injury. None of these exceptions are automatic — they require specific facts to invoke.
What Happens If You Miss It
Once District of Columbia's deadline has passed, reopening the claim is rarely possible through the normal process. A small number of narrow exceptions exist (see tolling rules above), but for most missed deadlines, the right to benefits for that injury is gone.
District of Columbia Workers Comp Rules
- Waiting period: 3 days
- Attorney contingency fee: 20%
- State agency: DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Workers' Compensation