Seeking medical treatment for a work-related injury should be one of your first steps after you get hurt. To seek workers’ compensation, you will need medical documentation explaining your injuries and why you can’t work as you recover from them. You’ll need thorough records from your examinations.
You should head to the closest emergency room immediately following your injury if it’s serious. If you don’t require immediate emergency assistance, you can seek aid from a doctor on a list of designated providers from your employer. If your employer does not provide you with a list of panel physicians, you may treat with a physician of your own choosing. If your employer does properly notify you of a list, and give you a copy of the list after the work injury, Pennsylvania requires workers to stick to the employer-selected health care companies for workers’ compensation cases, but only for the first 90 days following initial treatment. You can choose anyone on the list, and if you need a specialist who’s not on the list, you can select your own provider. Other things to keep in mind follow:
- You can switch from one provider on the list to another during treatment.
- Those on the list should be within a reasonable geographic distance.
- If the list provided by your employer does not comply with the PA Workers’ Compensation Act, you can choose your own health care provider.
Can I Trust a Doctor Chosen by My Employer?
Many people worry that a doctor on a list approved by their employer’s insurance company will not be objective. They fear that the physician won’t tell the truth about their symptoms or ability to continue working because the insurance company wants to avoid paying on their claim.
We agree that it’s best to see a physician of your own choosing who has not worked with your employer before. The doctor’s opinions will be cited in the case, so you want someone without bias providing your assessments. However, since PA law mandates following this system, you have to navigate it. In most cases, physicians will do their best to offer objective reports, but if you really believe you’re not receiving adequate care, your attorney can advise you on what steps to take to attempt to switch doctors.
Mistakes to Avoid When Looking for a Doctor While on Workers’ Comp in PA
When you’re looking for a doctor or going under a doctor’s care, be sure to tell the truth throughout the process and be open about your case. Do not:
- Put off seeking medical treatment
- Ignore your doctor’s orders
- Miss appointments
- Lie about what happened in your accident
- Exaggerate or downplay your injuries
- Neglect your records
- End treatment too soon or against your doctor’s orders
Finding a Doctor in a Workers’ Compensation Case
Still uncertain about how to get a doctor in your workers’ compensation case? Frommer D’Amico has represented many hard-working people just like you who have been injured on the job and don’t know how to proceed. We can offer you advice on getting medical treatment and other aspects of your case. We take only workers’ compensation cases, representing only employees, and we’ll travel to your location for meetings. You’ll even pay low fees.
Contact us today to set up a free consultation by calling 717-400-1000 or getting in touch online.