What You Should Avoid Telling Your Workers Comp Doctor
- Posted on: Mar 29 2022
If you are injured on the job, then your employer will require you to be treated by a doctor who accepts workers’ compensation patients so that you can get back to work as quickly as possible. While many workers´ comp insurance providers also want you to return to work, they could seek opinions that are very conservative in nature and which may not have your interests in mind.
It would be best if you remembered that everything that is said to the doctor might have an effect on the benefits you receive from workers’ compensation. This means you need to be careful with what you say during your appointment. Consulting an attorney specializing in workers’ compensation would be a great idea so that you can expect what will take place and what questions the doctor may ask you concerning your injury.
During Your Exam
As you have your exam, the doctor will attempt to determine your workability based on the injury you have sustained. The doctor will then send this evaluation to the insurer to determine benefits.
You will be evaluated on how you move and how you appear, such as your ability to stand and sit, are you limping and showing signs of discomfort, and if you appear to be having any type of difficulty.
You can expect the doctor to look for any type of pain or none for that matter. The doctor will want to know your medical history and if you have conditions that are pre-existing, as well as any previous treatments in the past.
Make sure that you explain your work injury in detail and how the injury currently affects you negatively. By being as detailed as possible, the doctor will not be able to say that the condition is not as bad as you say it is.
Things That You Should Avoid Telling the Doctor
Below are a few of the things that you need to avoid saying when a workers’ compensation doctor is evaluating you:
- Remember that you should complete all of the treatment you are provided with until you are cleared to return to work.
- Never delay the treatment that you are prescribed. This delay will cause your injury to become worse and extend recovery.
- Do not bend the truth about the circumstances of your injury
- Do not leave out any history concerning previous injuries
Lying about an injury or making it sound worse than it really is will never result in receiving benefits from workers´ comp. This is because your medical records could be easily obtained by the insurer to verify everything in order to prevent fraud.
You will then appear untrusting by your employer once they find out the results of the claim. Not only that, but your doctor may be unable to provide proper care based on what you are lying about.
Conclusion
Ultimately, you need to be able to return to work after being fully recovered from the injury. By avoiding the above, you will have a better chance of receiving benefits and the medical care that you are in need of. However, if you have questions concerning what you should tell the doctor about, then you should contact us now so that you are prepared.
Posted in: Blog, Work Injuries, Workers Compensation Benefits