PROTECT YOUR MEDICAL BENEFITS AFTER A WORK INJURY

Your employer is required to pay for any reasonable, necessary and related medical care if you are injured on the job. This includes all follow-up treatment and medical bills, and your medical benefits do not expire.

From the moment your employer becomes aware of your accident or injury, there is a conflict of interests. Your employer and the workers’ compensation insurer are eager to control the costs of providing medical benefits. They will try to dictate which doctors you see or which treatments they will pay for.

At Martin Law, we urge you to contact us after your injury, before you say or sign something that limits your rights. Our lawyers have practiced in workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania for 30 years, and we know all the defense tactics.

Proper medical care is critical to your recovery. Accurate diagnosis is critical to full wage benefits. Don’t sell yourself short by handling your own claim! Call 215.587.8400.

Medical Benefits

If your claim has been accepted, the employer pays for all associated medical care expenses including:

• Emergency room, hospitalization and doctor visits
• Surgery and rehab
• Medications and medical equipment
• Modifications to your home or vehicle
• Home nursing care

There are no time limitations or restrictions on medical benefits. There are no co-pays or out-of-pocket costs. Workers’ comp does not generally pay for medical travel expenses.

Disputed Medical Claims

Employers and insurers may object to your claim if they believe your injury is not work-related. They may recognize one injury, but refuse to pay for others. Or they may later argue that certain treatments are no longer reasonable or necessary.

But insurance companies cannot simply refuse to cover your care once they have accepted a claim. They must file a petition with the Bureau of Workers Compensation for a hearing before a judge. If the judge sides with the employer, you can appeal that decision. Martin Law has decades of experience and success in these proceedings.

The Right to Medical Care is in YOUR Best Interests

Your employer may insist that you see certain doctors. This is not always true. For the first 90 days after an injury, you must treat with your employer’s preferred physicians, but only if:

• The company provided a list of at least six different providers; and
• You signed two documents indicating “acknowledgement of rights and duties”

In our experience, less than half of employers observe these rules. In other words, you may be free to choose your own doctor from Day One. You deserve to see a qualified physician or specialist whose medical opinion is not influenced by your employer. At a minimum, you have the right to switch to your own doctors after 90 days.

For a full explanation of medical benefits and your rights, contact us today. Our attorneys offer a free consultation, with several office locations in the Philadelphia area and surrounding counties.