Skip to main content Do I have to use the physician my employer chooses?
Following a workplace injury, it is critical to secure reliable medical care. Your priority should always be your own well-being and physical recovery.
This is especially true if you hope to pursue financial recovery through a workers’ comp claim. When you have an ongoing earned benefits claim, it is important to determine where to seek medical care. Your physician will make vital decisions regarding your treatment plan. They will also determine when and if you can safely return to work.
In a workers’ compensation case, the doctor may decide that the injured person can resume their work with certain accommodations. With all these important issues at stake, you may wonder—do I have to use the physician my employer chooses?
To answer any specific questions regarding your earned benefits claim, make sure to reach out to the team at America’s premier tort firm: Morgan & Morgan. We provide prospective clients with a no-obligation, free legal case evaluation.
To schedule your no-cost initial consultation, complete the simple online contact form on our website. Let Morgan & Morgan fight to recover the compensation you are owed.
What Are My Options Following an On-the-Job Injury?
When you have been injured while working, it is critical to report the incident to your employer as soon as possible. This is the first step in seeking the workers’ compensation payments that you need to get your life back on track.
The doctor that you should visit for medical treatment will depend on your state’s laws. Workers’ compensation statutes vary by state. In many states, the injured worker has the right to choose their overseeing physician and will not be required to visit the doctor chosen by their employer.
However, other states require you to visit a physician from your employer’s pre-approved list of care providers. Even in these cases, you may have the right to request a change of physician.
It is important to speak with a knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorney to understand your options. Fortunately, the accomplished legal team at Morgan and Morgan has a thorough knowledge of the workers’ comp regulations in every state.
How to Understand Independent Medical Exams?
In some workers’ compensation claims, the injured victim is required to assent to an independent medical exam (IME). When this happens, the workers’ compensation insurance coverage provider may name a medical care provider that you must visit.
You should be wary of this type of requirement. If your employer (or their insurer) asks you to undergo an IME, speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Despite the name, IMEs are not always fair or objective. Instead, insurance providers rely on IMEs to resolve disputes about patients’ treatment plans.
Suppose that your initial medical visit results in a diagnosis that will prevent you from working and require an expensive treatment plan. The insurance company may hope that an IME will result in a diagnosis that is more financially favorable to them.
With the help of an accomplished workers’ compensation attorney, you may be able to dispute the report from the IME physician. The trusted legal team at Morgan & Morgan has decades of experience fighting to ensure injured workers receive fair diagnoses.
Do Workers’ Compensation Benefits Cover Emotional and Mental Damage?
No. Workers’ compensation benefit payments are not intended to compensate victims for every type of harm they experience. Workers’ compensation benefits are meant to cover the direct financial losses that the employee sustains.
This may include:
- Loss of income and wages from missed work
- Current and past associated medical bills
- Costs from ongoing or in-home care
- Permanent or temporary disability payments
This is in contrast to standard personal injury claims, where victims can pursue both economic and non-economic damages. The latter type of compensation is intended to cover the emotional, personal, and psychological damages from the person’s injuries.
The legal professionals at Morgan and Morgan will review your case to help you seek the total amount you deserve. Do not allow a tightfisted insurance company to devalue the losses you suffered.
We believe that workers have a right to the earned benefits from their labor. You should not be forced to manage the costs and losses from an injury that occurred in the workplace.
Is Every Employee in the Country Covered by Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
No. Not all employers or businesses are legally required to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage. Different states have various laws regulating workers’ compensation insurance.
For instance, many states require larger companies to hold workers’ compensation policies. Businesses with only a few employees may be exempt from this requirement.
Also, not every type of worker must be covered by their employer. For instance, many states allow exemptions for the following types of workers:
- Independent contractors
- Farm and agricultural workers
- Domestic employees
- Seasonal and casual employees
These are only a few examples. Speak with a member of the legal team at Morgan & Morgan to learn more about workers’ compensation exemptions in your state.
Let Morgan and Morgan Fight on Your Behalf
If you need to know where to seek medical care in the aftermath of a workplace injury, do not wait. Reach out to the compassionate experts at the law firm of Morgan & Morgan.
We have a decades-long track record of successfully representing injured workers. Schedule a free legal case evaluation by completing our online contact form. Let our knowledgeable attorneys fight for the money you deserve.
