Helping Injured Workers Get the Medical Benefits They Deserve
If you have been injured on the job in Louisiana, you have a right to select your own doctors for your workers' compensation medical treatment. If you give up that right, however, you may find yourself permanently stuck with the doctor or doctors chosen by your employer.
At the law firm of Murry & Associates, our Lafayette and Slidell workers' compensation medical treatment attorneys help clients throughout southern Louisiana protect their rights so they can get the medical treatment they need without being sent back to work before they are ready.
Understanding Your Right to Choose Your Own Doctors
If you report a workplace injury to your employer, they may send you to an on-site doctor or an industrial health clinic. As you might expect, doctors who get most of their business from employers are often reluctant to take people off work or authorize costly treatments.
You should accept any necessary emergency medical treatment offered by your employer, but if they pressure you to sign a Choice of Physician form or any other document, it is in your interests to seek professional advice when deciding whether to do so.
Your primary treating physician is responsible for deciding how your injuries should be treated and how long you should stay off work and receive lost wage benefits. You have a right to take some time and make a careful decision about who you trust to fill this important role.
Once you choose a doctor, your employer is required to pay for any reasonable and necessary treatment that doctor recommends, including treatment by other doctors. Your employer is also required to reimburse you for all mileage directly related to your necessary medical treatments. Of course, every case is unique, and these issues can be hotly contested based on the specific facts of each case and the opinions of medical experts.
Contact Our Lafayette and Slidell Medical Compensation Attorneys Today
If you have been injured at work, our experienced workers' compensation lawyers at Murry & Associates can ensure that your rights to medical benefits are protected. To schedule a free consultation, contact us today at 337-234-5500, at 985-643-1755 or by e-mail.
