Workers' comp claim denied in Alaska: what to do next

If the insurer sends you a Controversion Notice, file a Claim for Benefits with the Division along with a medical summary. Contact a Division office for free help with the process; Division staff explain procedures and deadlines.

Your employer's insurer, not the state, usually decides first. If they deny or delay, the free help listed here can explain your options.

Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.

Deadlines are strict. If you are near one, call the state agency or free help today.

If your claim is denied or delayed in Alaska

Who decides

Alaska Workers' Compensation Board; appeals to the Alaska Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission

First step

Source: Form 07-6106

Form

Workers' Compensation Claim (Form 07-6106)

Deadline

If the insurer denied benefits before you filed a claim, file the claim within 2 years after the Controversion Notice was filed. If it denied benefits after you filed a claim, you must request a hearing (Affidavit of Readiness for Hearing) or ask the Board for more time within 2 years after that Controversion Notice was filed.

Medical disagreements

If the insurer's doctor disagrees with your doctor, you may ask the Board for a Second Independent Medical Evaluation (SIME) by filing a Petition and the SIME form (07-6147) with the medical records showing the dispute, within 60 days after you got the reports showing the disagreement. The insurer may require exams by its doctor as often as every 60 days with 10 days' notice.

Source: Form 07-6111

Appealing the decision

Alaska Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission, within 30 days after the Board's compensation order is filed; then the Alaska Supreme Court.

File a Claim for Benefits with the Division. The Division serves it on the employer.
Prehearing conferences are held with a Board designee to identify issues and set deadlines.
When ready, file an Affidavit of Readiness for Hearing to have a hearing scheduled.
The Board holds a hearing and issues a Decision and Order.
A party may ask the Board to reconsider within 15 days, or appeal a final order to the Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission within 30 days.

Law: AS 23.30.105, 23.30.110, 23.30.127

Source: labor.alaska.gov

Sources

The official sources for Alaska are listed on the Alaska page.

National rules that may also matter

Not covered by state workers' comp?

These federal programs and laws cover some groups of workers instead of, or in addition to, state workers' compensation. If one of them may apply to you, check its rules and deadlines too. They are different from your state's.

Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA): Civilian employees of the federal government, including Postal Service employees. Official page

Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (Longshore Act): Maritime workers such as longshore workers, harbor workers, ship repairers, shipbuilders and ship-breakers, hurt on navigable waters of the United States or on an adjoining pier, wharf, dry dock, terminal or other area used to load, unload, repair or build ships. Some groups are excluded. Official page
Longshore maximum and minimum for October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 (fiscal year 2027): maximum $2,163.92 a week, minimum $540.98 a week.

Law: 33 U.S.C. 906(b); DOL Longshore NAWW table

Defense Base Act: Civilian employees working outside the United States on U.S. military bases or under a contract with the U.S. government for public works or national defense. Claims are handled by the Longshore program. Official page

Federal Black Lung Program: Coal miners who are totally disabled by black lung disease (pneumoconiosis) from coal mine work, and survivors of miners whose deaths were caused by it. Official page

Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program: Current or former employees of the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors and subcontractors, and certain uranium miners, millers and ore transporters, who became ill from toxic exposures such as radiation, beryllium or silica at covered work sites, and their survivors. The program is set up by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA). Official page

Railroad workers (Federal Employers' Liability Act): Employees of railroads in interstate commerce. Instead of a workers' compensation claim, a federal law lets an injured railroad worker sue the railroad for damages caused by its negligence.

Seamen (Jones Act): A seaman injured in the course of employment may bring a lawsuit against the employer, with the right to a jury trial, under the same federal rules that apply to railroad workers.

National help

Your state workers' compensation agency answers questions about claims. Many have a free help line, an ombudsman or information officers for injured workers.

The Legal Services Corporation funds 129 nonprofit legal aid organizations in every state, D.C. and the territories. Enter your address on its website to find one near you. You can also look up legal information and free forms at LawHelp.org. Whether a local program handles workers' compensation cases varies.

LawHelp.org