Handling a Claim

When church leaders first learn that someone is making a claim of bodily, personal, or emotional injury as a result of lay counseling, or if someone witnesses an alleged injury, take the following steps:

• Provide for medical care, if appropriate, but do not admit or deny responsibility. 
   
• Report the incident, complaint, or summons as soon as possible, either to your insurance agent or directly to your insurance policy provider. Do this even if you think a potential claim might not exceed your deductible or if you don’t have all the information.
   
• If the injury is one that is subject to mandatory reporting, follow appropriate state rules.
   
• Write down a detailed description of what happened.