When you get hurt at work, you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits that cover part of your salary and your medical bills stemming from the injury. But what, exactly, can those medical bills include?
Depending on the circumstances of your injury, you may sustain scarring, burns or other injuries that alter your appearance. In such cases, you may want to get plastic surgery to try to return your appearance to what it was before you were injured or to make the facial or bodily changes less noticeable.
Such surgery is often not just for cosmetic purposes. People can develop serious self-esteem issues or depression stemming from their new appearance, which can compound the problems keeping them out of work. Mental health is often tied closely to physical health, and plastic surgery can alleviate some of the psychological pain of an injury.
There have been many cases in which people have attempted to recover money for plastic surgery after an on-the-job accident. Insurance companies will fight this request because they don’t want to pay any more than they have to, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.
Does PA Workers’ Compensation Cover Plastic Surgery in All Cases?
No. Each individual case is different, and whether your plastic surgery is covered by workers’ comp will depend on the details of your case. With the right legal representation, you may receive these benefits.
First, you must prove you need reparative surgery. In a case where you received an injury to your face that damaged your eye socket, for instance, you might be able to show that you need plastic surgery to help with your eyesight. You could also demonstrate, if you sustained a serious scar from an injury and your job requires you to deal with the public, that cosmetic surgery would help you complete your work.
Often, a successful argument for workers’ compensation for plastic surgery requires creativity and a knowledge of arguments that have worked in the past. Workers’ comp benefits have even been paid out after an at-work accident in which a worker’s breast implant was damaged. A doctor said she would need plastic surgery to repair the implant, and the insurance company fought the request. The court ultimately ruled in the worker’s favor. Drawing on this history can assist you in making your argument.
Consult a Lawyer to See If Workers’ Comp May Cover Your Cosmetic Surgery
Plastic surgery will not be necessary in every injury case, but sometimes it’s a medical necessity. Every case is different, and yours has unique elements too. You need a lawyer with knowledge of other cases where workers have successfully pursued plastic surgery.
Frommer D’Amico has the experience you need to assist you with your case. We take only workers’ compensation cases, and we’ve helped many hard-working people like you get the outcome you desire in your case. We offer many advantages, including low fees and traveling to your location for meetings. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation by calling 717-400-1000 or getting in touch online.