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When you get injured on the job, you may continue to require treatment even after you go back to work. You may have received workers’ compensation and healed enough to return to your regular duties, or you may be working part time or in a different department while you undergo rehab. Some physical therapists and doctors see patients only during regular work hours, so you may wonder how you should handle this need for medical care that interferes with work.
Can you miss work to go to a workers’ comp doctor? Will your absence be excused? Are you expected to use vacation or PTO for this time at the doctor’s or physical therapist’s office? These concerns are common for many of our clients.
Do I Need to Use My Vacation Time for Medical Treatment After an On-the-Job Injury?
An injured worker should not be forced to use their vacation time for a medical appointment to treat an injury suffered on the job. Talk to your lawyer to discuss your options if your employer is trying to make you use vacation time for injury treatment.
Are You Required to Use PTO for a Workers’ Comp Appointment?
A worker should not have to use their PTO for a medical appointment to treat an on-the-job injury. Initial visits to the emergency room right after you sustain your injury often get covered as regular work time. From there, you’ll need to consult with a workers’ compensation attorney to ensure you get the right information regarding your rights in the case.
Can I Get Reimbursed for Mileage for Treatment?
If work-related medical treatment can be provided locally in any manner, you cannot receive mileage reimbursement if you choose to travel somewhere that’s not local to receive your care. In some instances, you can get mileage reimbursement if that care is not available nearby. When you have to go 100 miles or so to get specialized rehab, for example, it’s likely that you’ll be reimbursed.
Does Workers’ Comp Pay for Time off for Doctors’ Appointments in Pennsylvania?
The best-case scenario would be getting an appointment either before or after work. Many physical therapists open early and stay open late to accommodate their patients’ work schedules. Doctor’s appointments can be more difficult to schedule in off hours though.
If a doctor schedules your appointment for a work-related injury during work hours and you lose time on the job as well as pay to attend it, your weekly pay may fall below your pre-injury weekly average wage. If so, you may be entitled to partial disability benefits to make up some of that loss.
At Frommer D’Amico, we specialize in workers’ comp cases. They’re the only types of cases we handle, and we only represent employees. We can travel to your location for meetings and you only pay if we win. Are you uncertain about using vacation or PTO to handle your doctors’ appointments? Contact us today for a free consultation by calling 717-400-1000 or getting in touch online.
Joe D’Amico has more than 20 years of experience fighting for injured workers. He is Certified as an Expert in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Joe is one of the very few Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys who have obtained a recovery in excess of $1.5 million for an injured worker.
Reviewed by Joe D’Amico.