If you are injured while at work, or you become sick as a result of your job, it is likely that your medical treatment, should you need any, will be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. You will need to let your employer know the details of the injury or illness and in due course file a claim for compensation. In addition to medical treatment, you should be entitled to other payments such as a percentage of any lost earnings due to absence from work. States differ in their workers’ comp. rules. In some states, you will need to use an approved medical provider. In others, this may be left to you to choose or there may be some flexibility. Discuss your workers’ comp. claim with a knowledgeable attorney before making a claim or appealing an unfavorable decision. What is Meant by an Approved Doctor? Workers’ compensation laws are made by each state. The rules determine which employers have to provide insurance coverage for their employees and other factors like the statute of limitations for workers’ comp. claims and caps on each type of payment. States may also insist that injured or sick employees use a state approved doctor for their medical examination. Not all states do this. It is best to ask who you are allowed to use before going for treatment or an initial examination. Your own normal doctor may or may not be qualified or willing to deal with work-related injuries or illnesses as there are usually a lot of procedures to deal with. In some states, the choice of doctor and / or medical provider is left to the employer and in particular the employer’s insurer. One reason that an insurer may make rules about approved doctors is that they are in the insurer’s own network and are cheaper than being billed by a doctor out of the network. In an emergency, no state would penalize you from using the most convenient, often the closest, hospital, at least for initial treatment, as the consequences could result in your death. Summing up, whether there is an approved doctor or not depends on both the state you are working in and your employer and its insurance provider. Just make sure you know the rules because if you use an unapproved doctor or provider you could potentially lose compensation privileges. Is There Anything I Can Do If I Want to Change the Approved Doctor? As has been already stated, the policy on approved doctors and providers is determined by the state you work in and sometimes by the employer’s insurance provider. Even if you have limited choice initially, many states do allow you to chose another doctor if you are unsatisfied with the approved one. In some states, like California, you may still be restricted to a number of doctors within an approved network. In other states, you may be able to change your doctor or provider giving good reasons why you want to make the change. Before making a personal choice to change doctors, make sure you know that this is allowed within the rules for workers’ comp. in your state and by your employer. If in doubt, ask your own health insurance doctor to advise you or contact an experienced workers’ comp. attorney for advice. Why You Should Contact an Attorney if Unsure About Who to Treat You A workers’ compensation attorney is the best source of advice about your legal rights and responsibilities when seeking to file a workers’ comp. claim. If confused about who can treat you and what, if anything, you can do if unsatisfied by the approved doctor talk to an attorney first. Additional Resources Can I Get a Second Opinion If I Saw an Approved Doctor? Am I Required to Follow My Doctor's Orders after a Workplace Injury?
