If an employee sustains an injury in February and has an aggravation in July, what is the recommended administrative action?

• A. Set up a separate file for the new injury
• B. Merge into the original file
• C. Do nothing
• D. Notify management

Answer: (B)

When an employee experiences an aggravation of an existing injury, treat it as part of the same claim rather than creating a new one. In SIP claim administration, keeping related events in a single file helps preserve the continuity of the injury, track medical treatment and indemnity accurately, and maintain a clear history for future reviews or audits. Merging the aggravation into the original file ensures that all related medical costs, wage benefits, and reserve decisions stay tied to the same claim, avoiding confusion and fragmentation that could complicate settlements or regulatory reporting.

Creating a separate file for the aggravation would imply a new claim and separate record, which is inappropriate for a continuation or escalation of an existing injury. Doing nothing fails to update the claim record, and merely notifying management doesn’t address proper file management.