Everyone says "stay quiet if you're undocumented," but actually Michigan workers' comp does not disappear because of immigration status.

The common mistake is waiting. After a serious electrocution, people panic, the employer says "don't file anything," and days turn into weeks. In Michigan, the safer move is to report the injury promptly, get medical care, and keep proof of the threat.

For a work injury in Michigan, your husband generally should notify the employer within 90 days. A formal workers' compensation claim usually must be pursued within 2 years. The agency that handles this is the Michigan Workers' Disability Compensation Agency through LEO.

If he files, the usual chain of events is simple: the employer reports the injury, the workers' comp insurer investigates, and medical treatment and wage-loss benefits are evaluated. A boss may ask for routine identifying information, but an insurer cannot deny a valid Michigan work-injury claim just because the worker is undocumented.

A deportation threat is a separate problem. It can be evidence of retaliation or intimidation for asserting a workers' comp right. Save:

• texts, voicemails, and screenshots
• names of coworkers who heard the threat
• photos of the scene, tools, wires, burns, and PPE
• discharge papers from Bronson Methodist or Ascension Borgess, if that is where he went

If the electrocution happened at a warehouse, orchard, or roadside worksite around Kalamazoo County, there may also be a claim against someone other than the employer, like an outside contractor, staffing company, or equipment maker. That matters because workers' comp and a third-party injury claim are different tracks.

If the hazard is still there, a complaint can also go to MIOSHA. That is especially important if other workers are exposed to the same wiring or equipment. This comes up a lot in Michigan's fall rush, when staffing ramps up and safety corners get cut from US-131 to farm operations sharing roads with slow equipment.