Workers don’t pay much attention to Worker’s Comp law – until they have an up-close-and-personal experience. Until then, they have probably assumed that Worker’s Comp will pay all the medical bills if they get hurt and send them a weekly check. If the worker can’t go back to work, they’ll have enough money to live on. After all, isn’t the law called ‘Worker’s Compensation’?
Then reality hits. The law should probably be called the ‘Pay As Little Worker’s Compensation As Possible’ law. It’s full of ‘gotcha’s’ that will cost the unwary injured worker both money and health. Because something sounds reasonable, doesn’t mean it is.
‘Gotcha’ No. 1: The Worker’s Comp Doctor
The injured worker has to deal with the Worker’s Comp doctor for the first 90 days. If the worker needs a doctor in a speciality that none of the physicians on the list are qualified to handle, then the worker can go to the specialist of his choice. Of course, that speciality care must be considered both necessary and reasonable for the work injury. What could go wrong?
If the Worker’s Comp doctor denies that the worker needs a specialist in the first 90 days, the injured worker may not receive necessary treatment. After 90 days, the worker is not obligated to continue seeing the Worker’s Comp doctor, but critical treatment time has been missed. Also, the Worker’s Comp doctor says when the worker is well enough to return to work, but this doctor has mixed loyalties – to the injured worker and his employer. Could the worker be sent back to work too soon?
‘Gotcha’ No. 2: The I.M.E.
I.M.E. stands for Independent Medical Examination. If the employer/insurance company request that the injured worker submit to this examination, the worker has to go. The physician may perform many of these examinations for his employer, the insurance company, and receive substantial income from the insurance company. This is a gross conflict of interest. Any injured worker who has been told to report for this I.M.E., should contact the Best Worker’s Comp Lawyer possible.
There are other built-in ‘gotcha’s’. While the law is supposed to protect the worker, the process often does not. If you’ve been injured on the job, get the Best Worker’s Comp Lawyer you can find. Swartz Culleton PC, located in Newtown, PA, has helped many clients in the greater Philadelphia area to get the benefits they were entitled to. Click Here for more details.
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