Skip to main content

Should I get medical treatment for my work injury?

After a work injury it’s important to receive medical care and treatment. Either emergency room, hospital, medical clinic or chiropractic office.  Not only do you want treatment for your injury but you also want to document the injury, your current condition, and your symptoms. It is important to have documentation to establish that a work injury actually occurred. For example you have an injury at work but you decide to hold off on getting treatment. In fact, you wait several weeks for the symptoms to get bad before you go see a doctor. This delay in medical treatment gives the workers compensation insurer an opportunity to explain her symptoms on other things including possibly activities at home, extracurricular activities, etc.

You have a right to choose your physician in most circumstances.

Under Worker’s Compensation law you have a right to choose your physician. Only in limited situations if it is a managed care program can an insurer direct where you will seek medical treatment. Otherwise you have a right to choose your position.

If you treat with a physician more than two times that physician becomes your “treating physician.” You may be referred to other physicians by your treating physician but typically you’re not allowed to change physicians unless in certain circumstances. Consequently, it’s important that you choose the right “treating physician.”