Baltimore Workers’ Compensation Lawyers: Choosing Your Own Doctor

Posted on October 20, 2016

Workers Compensation protects employees who have been injured while on the job. This generally includes things like medical expenses related to injuries, lost wages, medications, and physical therapy. While you might be tempted to seek out your own doctor for treatment, it is actually in your best interest to use your personal physician rather than one that is chosen by your employer’s Workers’ Compensation plan.

If you suffer a work-related injury in Maryland, it is no doubt important that you seek medical attention, but from whom? Using your own doctor can provide you with an objective diagnosis free from doubt. Oftentimes, physicians on your insurer’s list may be biased or skeptical of your injuries, which could affect your chances of receiving Workers’ Compensation benefits.

However, while choosing your own physician may ultimately help you secure your own benefits, it may complicate your case in the short-term, which is why seeking legal counsel is so important. Your claim may be denied and the Workers’ Compensation insurance company may refuse to pay for your medical care. While this fact may be jarring, applicants should not be intimidated about securing their benefits, as a skilled Workers’ Compensation lawyer can help in appealing a claim.

Using your own doctor’s out of work disability slip would require you to attend a hearing to force the insurance company to follow your doctor’s recommendation. If your doctor decided that your injury was so severe you were unable to work, your insurance company may have to honor the diagnosis.

If an Insurance Company’s Physician Denied Your Claim

If Workers’ Compensation denies the medical portion of your claim, you may use your own doctor. You would be required to use your own health insurance, and you would not be reimbursed until you receive a medical award at a hearing. After that, Workers’ Compensation insurance is responsible for paying for your doctor’s treatment.

Baltimore Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Help Clients Navigate the Claims Process 

If an injury at work has left you unable to continue at your job and you have questions about how to select the right doctor, contact the Baltimore Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. We will guide you through every step of the claims process and make sure that you receive the maximum benefits to which you are entitled. For a free case review, call us today at 844-556-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.