I have just been injured at work, and need treatment. Can I see my own doctor, or do I have to go to my employer’s doctors?
Initially you see one of your employer’s designed physicians. Your employer has a list. After 90 days, you may see your own.
The Workers’ Compensation Act expressly provides that it is the duty of the employer “to provide a clearly written notification of the employee’s rights and duties” regarding his/her rights to medical treatment. It is the employer’s responsibility to “ensure that the employee has been informed and that he/she understands these rights and duties”. The employer can only establish that it has met its responsibility by obtaining your signature on a Bureau form setting forth your responsibilities to treat with one of its panel physicians.
There is an exception to the 90-day rule. If your boss has not complied, your best step is to contact a workers’ compensation attorney about the possibility of seeing your own doctor within the 90-day period.
State Law Center
|
Legal Resource Directory
|
Legal Articles
|
Insurance Advice and Quotes
|
FreeAdvice Answers
|
Community Forums
