The first priority if you have been injured at work is to seek medical treatment, whether the injury is relatively minor or very serious. Of course, if you are seriously injured, you may have no say in your immediate medical treatment as you may be unconscious or incapable of moving. No doubt, someone at your workplace will call an ambulance and you will be taken to hospital. Whatever the nature of the injury, if you are considering filing a claim for workers’ compensation, it is important that any doctors or medical personnel who treat you give an honest account of your injuries so you obtain a fair and adequate payment. Depending on the state you are working in, you may be required to use a doctor your employer uses or there may be more flexible arrangement. A workers’ comp. attorney can advise you of your legal rights. Importance of Medical Documentation After a Workplace Injury Most workers are covered by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance, which is a requirement in nearly every state, although there are a few exceptions in some states, e.g. agricultural workers, domestic workers and independent contractors may not be covered. Workers’ comp. claims can result in payment for medical treatment as well as a percentage of lost earnings. Medical treatment can be very expensive, especially if you are not insured yourself, or your own medical insurance does not cover the treatment you need. The employer’s insurance adjuster will examine the documentation you obtain for medical treatment and will use this to calculate what they are prepared to pay you. Inadequate or incomplete documentation can result in the denial of a claim, an underpayment or a delay, none of which are going to do you any good. The question of which doctor or medical service you use is important because it may determine whether you are compensated adequately for the injuries you received while at work. Whose Doctor Should You See? As has already been mentioned, there are some accidents that mean you will need emergency treatment. If this is the case, you should be taken to the nearest medical center or hospital for emergency treatment. If the injuries are not quite so severe, then the choice of doctor may be limited to the rules of the state you are working in. If you are given the choice of doctor, you are better off seeing your own doctor rather than your employer’s preferred doctor. This is because your employer’s doctor has a financial relationship with your employer which may influence their degree of objectivity. This might limit the amount of compensation you obtain. Your own doctor is likely to be more objective about the degree of seriousness of your injuries. States vary from employer’s preferred doctor only to allowing you to see your own choice of doctor or you may have to see your employer’s doctor on the first visit then be free to make your own choice. Importance of an Attorney An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can provide useful advice about which doctor you should see, whether you have any choice over the doctor and what you could do if you think that the doctor your employer insists you use has undervalued the degree of seriousness of your injuries.
