File Form C-3 with the New York Workers' Compensation Board within two years of the injury, and give your employer written notice within 30 days; being undocumented does not block a New York workers' comp claim.

• The 30-day notice rule is separate from the two-year filing deadline. Telling a supervisor the same day is best, but written notice is stronger. If your employer already knew about the injury because it happened at work, was reported internally, or you were sent for treatment, the Board can excuse defects in notice more easily than if you stayed silent.

• Retaliation is illegal. Under New York Workers' Compensation Law § 120, an employer cannot fire you, cut your hours, threaten immigration consequences, or punish you for claiming benefits. If hours suddenly drop after you report the injury, save schedules, texts, write-ups, and witness names immediately.

• If the injury developed over time, the clock may start later. For repetitive-stress injuries or occupational illness, the deadline can run from when you knew, or should have known, the condition was work-related, not necessarily the first day you felt pain.

• Emergency care does not replace filing. A Manhattan ER record, urgent care visit, or employer accident report is not the same as Form C-3. The treating doctor should also submit medical reports to the Board, but your claim still needs your filing.

• If a car, delivery van, or outside contractor caused the injury, there may be a second deadline. Workers' comp is one track. A third-party personal injury lawsuit in New York is usually three years from the accident, and New York's pure comparative negligence rule means partial fault does not bar recovery.

• Waiting even a week can hurt proof. Bus-stop and school-zone incidents in Manhattan often lose camera footage fast, and employers rewrite schedules quickly. Report, get medical treatment, and file while records and witnesses still exist.