Yes - if he was hurt on the job, waiting has not automatically killed his Alaska workers' comp rights, and the costliest mistake is believing the employer's "use your own insurance and take light duty" story means the claim is over.

That is one of the most expensive myths in Alaska workers' comp.

If your husband was injured while working - say a winter driving crash on black ice near Wasilla, the Parks Highway, or even the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Girdwood - light duty does not erase the claim, and being pushed onto private health insurance does not make it a non-work injury.

In Alaska, an injured worker usually must give the employer notice within 30 days. But even when that did not happen cleanly, the case is not always dead if the employer already knew about the crash, sent him for treatment, or there is a good reason for delay. A formal workers' comp claim is generally subject to a 2-year deadline under Alaska law.

If the workers' comp carrier denied treatment, wage loss, or said he had reached "medical stability," he may still have options through the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board and the Division of Workers' Compensation. A denied claim is not the same as a final loss.

There may also be a separate third-party injury claim if someone else caused the wreck - another driver, a contractor, or a company vehicle owner. That is different from workers' comp, and Alaska's general personal injury deadline is typically 2 years from the crash. People lose real money by missing that second case while arguing with comp.

A few myths to ignore:

• "You accepted light duty, so you waived comp."
• "Your own health insurance paid, so comp is off the table."
• "If it's been months, nothing can be done."

If he is still treating, missing work, or being told the injury is now "personal," the next place to check is whether a claim was ever formally filed with the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board at all.