For people in the Folsom area, work injuries are a common concern. Not only will they lead to lost time on the job, medical expenses and lost wages, but the person who should be focusing on their recovery could be distracted and experience the mental and emotional anguish of a dispute over medical care. Employers and insurers who are providing workers’ compensation benefits are prone to questioning the severity of injuries and the type and duration of medical care that is required. To be protected from this, workers and their families must know the basics about medical care under workers’ compensation.
Workers should know the facts about medical care
People who have been injured on the job and are receiving medical care through their employer or a workers’ compensation insurer should not get medical bills. If they do, there has been a misstep that must be handled. The claims administrator is responsible for paying for the medical care. If a worker receives a bill after a known work-related accident, it is a violation of the law.
Workers are supposed to receive care that is directly connected to their injury. If, for example, a construction worker tears a muscle in their shoulder, then the treatment should cover that. An officer worker suffering from carpal tunnel must receive care for the pain and help them improve. In the Golden State, there are guidelines for medical care after a work injury.
The Division of Workers’ Compensation provides a template for this treatment and it is frequently updated. Physicians are expected to use these guidelines when giving treatment to the injured worker. Along with hands-on care, they also give advice for improvement. If the injury is such that the worker cannot do the same job as they did before, then this might mean job assignments need to be changed. The physician will inform the employer of that eventuality.
Chiropractic treatment could be effective for people who have been hurt, but some employers and insurers might question its need. Chiropractic treatment can be provided under workers’ compensation, but there is a limit to 24 visits. For physical therapy and occupational therapy, there are limits to 24 each. The rules do not apply if the care is post-surgical. Workers are supposed to begin treatment within one working day after a claim is filed. In emergencies, it can be expedited. As a claim is being investigated, the worker is still entitled to up to $10,000 worth of treatment.
Even if the claims administrator is hesitating in approving the treatment, people can ask for it to be immediately authorized as the case is being assessed. People who have health insurance can use that for treatment during this time and then seek reimbursement once the case is authorized.
Workers must be aware of their right to medical treatment
Work-related injuries can happen to anyone in Folsom and the nearby areas of California. While many might think workplace accidents and injuries come about with physically arduous jobs or dangerous occupations, they can occur in any type of employment. A construction worker, a firefighter, a law enforcement officer and agricultural workers can be hurt as they go about their duties, but so too can an office worker. The latter types of injuries might be even more complicated because they are difficult to diagnose and workers’ compensation insurers could scrutinize them more closely, questioning how much medical care is truly needed for treatment. Regardless of the injury, the job and how it happened, workers should know their rights to medical care and take the steps required to maximize it to recover as much as possible.
