Workers' comp carriers & adjusters
Resolve the compensability question early — before reserves are set — with documented facts on how and where an injury occurred.
AOE / COE Investigations
AOE/COE investigations for workers' comp defense.
An AOE/COE investigation determines whether a claimed injury both arose out of employment (AOE) and occurred in the course of employment (COE) — the threshold question of compensability. OnTrial documents it with recorded statements, scene and employment verification, and background and surveillance workups.
For workers' compensation carriers, SIU units, and defense counsel. Fixed cost per engagement. Rush deployment available.
What it is
The threshold question of every comp claim.
Compensability turns on two words: arising and course.
Arising Out of Employment (AOE) asks whether the work caused the injury. Course of Employment (COE) asks whether it happened within the time, place, and circumstances of the job. An injury generally must satisfy both to be compensable — and each can be contested on the facts.
An AOE/COE investigation develops those facts: recorded statements, scene and employment verification, witness canvassing, and a claimant background workup. Where physical capacity is disputed, it is paired with sub rosa surveillance.
Who this is for
Built for the people deciding the claim.
SIU & fraud units
Test a suspicious claim with recorded statements, witness canvassing, and scene verification that support a referral.
Defense counsel & TPAs
Build the compensability record for a hearing or trial, with analyst-verified findings and a documented chain of custody.
Self-insured employers
Understand whether a claim truly arose out of and in the course of employment before it drives experience-rated cost.
What it includes
The components of a compensability workup.
Recorded statements
Structured recorded statements from the claimant, supervisors, and witnesses — capturing mechanism, timing, and location of the claimed injury.
Scene & employment verification
On-the-ground verification of the work environment, job duties, and the circumstances of the alleged incident, with witness canvassing.
Claimant background workup
Identity, prior claims, prior-employment disputes, criminal and civil history, and adverse-media screening — analyst-verified, county-level research.
Surveillance & activity checks
Where compensability turns on physical capacity, sub rosa surveillance documents the claimant's real-world activity against the reported injury.
Typical engagements
When AOE/COE is ordered.
- Compensability determination on a contested workers' compensation claim
- Suspected non-industrial or pre-existing injury
- Disputed mechanism, timing, or location of injury
- Going-and-coming and personal-comfort doctrine questions
- Witness canvassing on an unwitnessed injury
- AOE/COE paired with sub rosa surveillance on a high-exposure claim
Why the work holds up
Defensible from intake through delivery.
Statements are structured and preserved. Findings are sourced. Every finding is analyst-verified.
Every internal role at OnTrial is held by a veteran of the U.S. military, federal law enforcement, or state / municipal law enforcement — by mandate.
SOC 2 Type II, FCRA, GLBA, and CCPA compliant. AI-governance posture is documented — see AI Governance and Data Security.
OnTrial, LLC is licensed by the Texas Department of Public Safety as a Private Investigations Company (#C31261501). Field operators are licensed to the standards of each jurisdiction where they operate.
FAQ
AOE/COE investigations, explained.
- What does AOE/COE mean?
- AOE/COE stands for “Arising Out of Employment” and “Course of Employment.” Together they are the threshold test of compensability in a workers' compensation claim: AOE asks whether the injury was caused by the work, and COE asks whether it occurred within the time, place, and circumstances of employment. An injury generally must satisfy both to be compensable.
- What does an AOE/COE investigation include?
- A typical AOE/COE investigation combines recorded statements (claimant, supervisors, witnesses), scene and employment verification, witness canvassing, and a claimant background workup. Where physical capacity is at issue, it is paired with sub rosa surveillance. The result is a documented, analyst-verified record of how, when, and where the injury occurred.
- When should you order an AOE/COE investigation?
- Early — before reserves are set and while witnesses' memories are fresh. Order when the mechanism, timing, or location of the injury is disputed, when a pre-existing or non-industrial cause is suspected, or when an unwitnessed injury needs corroboration.
- Is a recorded statement part of an AOE/COE investigation?
- Yes. Structured recorded statements from the claimant, supervisors, and witnesses are a core component — they establish the mechanism and circumstances of the claimed injury and preserve testimony for a later hearing or trial.
- How fast is AOE/COE turnaround?
- Statement and verification work is typically completed within days, with rush deployment available when a compensability decision or hearing is imminent. Every engagement is a fixed cost — no subscription or monthly fees.
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