So you were hard at work in your office when your chair gave out because of a faulty leg. Although you attempted to catch your balance, you experienced a deep cut on your leg as it scraped against a sharp part of your desk. Now you’re forced to miss weeks of work because of your leg injury.
Immediately, you decide to file for workers comp, but you have to visit a doctor recommended by your job’s insurer. If you’re like many people who find themselves in this situation, this policy put in place could leave you feeling vulnerable. But why are doctors so important when filing a workers comp claim?
Doctors Determine the Severity of Your Injuries
Generally speaking, doctors have the biggest influence on determining the severity of your injuries. Whether you have a minor injury, such as a bruise, or a severe injury, such as a broken rib, the opinion of a medical professional can have a significant impact on your workers comp claim.
The importance of a medical professional’s opinion is so great that without it, receiving compensation for your damages can be almost impossible. For this reason, having to visit a doctor with close ties to your employer is key to your workers comp claim—but it can also be harmful to your claim.
For example, the insurer of your employer may decide to send you to a doctor who will not only give you cheaper treatment options, but they may also give you a lower permanent partial impairment (PPI) rating, which helps determine your settlement value. As you can see, this can leave you at a significant disadvantage when attempting to receive compensation.
Dealing with Workman’s Comp Doctors in Indiana
Although your options may seem limited when visiting a worker comp doctor, you have multiple options available. If you’re eligible, you may have the chance to receive a free independent medical exam from a doctor chosen by the Worker’s Compensation Board.
The advantage of this is that the doctor won’t be within the network of your employer’s insurer. Choosing this option can even the playing field and allow you to get a fairer assessment of your damages. The new medical exam from the Worker’s Compensation Board can also challenge the findings of the original doctor from your employer’s insurer.
You can also receive a second opinion from a doctor of your choosing. Although you will more than likely have to pay for this option yourself, having another opinion from a medical professional can be instrumental in your workers comp claim.
Reach Out to a Workers Comp Lawyer
Dealing with a workers comp claim is stressful enough without your employer’s insurer attempting to take advantage of you. Thankfully, you can always contact a workers comp lawyer from Kooi Law. Our Indianapolis workers comp attorneys have experience with cases similar to yours, and we can guide you through this stressful process.
If you wish to speak to a workers comp lawyer who will fight for your compensation, call 317-569-1335 or fill out the online contact form at the bottom of this page.
