N494 Remark Code: First Report of Injury Incomplete
N494 means the workers' compensation carrier received the Doctor's First Report of Injury but could not accept it as submitted. Required fields may be blank, the signature or dates missing, the wrong form used, or details may not match the bill or claim.
Quick facts
- Code
- N494 (RARC N494)
- Status
- Active In use since July 1, 2008.
- Code set
- Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
- Group codes
-
- CO (Contractual Obligation): The provider must correct the report. The injured worker generally cannot be billed for compensable services.
- Official description
Incomplete/invalid Doctor First Report of Injury.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026- Last verified
- against the official X12 list.
What N494 means
N494 is a workers’ compensation remark for a first report that arrived but did not pass review. The Doctor’s First Report of Injury is usually the carrier’s first medical account of the claim. If it is incomplete, the adjuster cannot confirm the injury, the body parts involved, or the treating provider’s findings, so related bills stay unpaid.
Where reports fall short
| Problem | Example |
|---|---|
| Missing fields | Blank sections for mechanism of injury, findings, or work status |
| Authentication | No physician signature or date |
| Wrong form | A generic progress note instead of the state’s required form |
| Mismatched data | Date of injury, employer, or body part differs from the carrier’s record |
| Illegible content | Handwritten notes the reviewer cannot read |
How to fix it
- Find out what the carrier rejected. Check the explanation of review or call the adjuster or bill review company.
- Complete or amend the report on the correct state form. Clinical content must come from the treating provider.
- Reconcile data such as the date of injury and employer with the carrier’s claim record. If the worker’s account differs, document it rather than changing it to match.
- Resubmit with the claim number, following the state’s rules for amended reports and bill resubmission.
- Follow up on any bills that were held pending the report.
How to prevent it
Use the jurisdiction’s current form template in the EHR so required fields cannot be skipped, and have a staff member review each first report before it goes out. Early accuracy matters because later reports and bills are measured against it.
Codes that may appear with N494
- CO-251 (The attachment/other documentation that was received was incomplete or deficient.): The attachment was received but was incomplete or deficient.
- CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): The bill contained missing or invalid information.
- CO-P1 (State-mandated Requirement for Property and Casualty, see Claim Payment Remarks Code for specific explanation.): A state-mandated requirement for property and casualty claims was not met.
Related and easily confused codes
- N493 (Missing Doctor First Report of Injury.): No first report was received.
- N496 (Incomplete/invalid Supplemental Medical Report.): A supplemental report, rather than the first report, is incomplete or invalid.
- N206 (The supporting documentation does not match the information sent on the claim.): Supporting documentation does not match the bill.
N494 FAQ
What fields are most often missing?
The worker's account of how the injury happened, the date of injury, objective findings, diagnosis, treatment plan, work status, and the physician's signature are common gaps. Required fields vary by state form.
Can I submit an amended first report?
Usually yes. Mark it as amended or corrected if the form allows and send it with the claim number. Some states have specific rules for amended reports.
Why would the date of injury cause a problem?
If the date on the report does not match the carrier's claim record or the bill, the carrier may not be able to tie the treatment to the accepted injury.