Category Archives: Workers’ Comp’ Basics

Can I Move To Another State If I Have A Work’ Comp’ Claim?

Yes, you can move to a different state though you have a workers' compensation claim in New York.Question: Can I move to another state even though I have a workers’ compensation claim in New York?

Answer: Absolutely!

Many claimants move to other states during the course of their workers’ compensation claims. Here are the top five things to consider when moving to another state:

1. Tell your workers’ compensation attorney that you are moving, and update your contact information such as telephone number and address.

2. Find a doctor in your new state that handles workers’ compensation claims in New York state. A simple Google search should give you several hits. Be sure to ask if the doctor handles workers’ compensation claims for claimants.

3. As there is often confusion at the initial stages of treatment as to why a patient is seeing the doctor, be sure to tell your doctor that you have an ongoing workers’ compensation claim in New York for which you need continuing treatment.

4. Have your Notice of Decision authorizing medical treatment handy! This is how the doctor knows that he or she is allowed to treat you for your work-related injury. If you do not have a copy of that Notice of Decision or have lost it, ask your workers’ compensation attorney to send you a copy ASAP.

5. Be proactive. This is your workers’ compensation claim: you have a right to your medical records. Ask for them after each visit! Give your workers’ compensation attorney the doctor’s contact information, including telephone number, fax number, and address. Get in touch with your workers’ compensation attorney if the doctor is having any difficulty getting your medical treatment paid for by the insurance carrier.

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What Should I Do If I Receive A Bill From My Workers’ Compensation Doctor?

Put your money back in your wallet. Your employer's insurance carrier is responsible for medical treatment of work-related accidents.

Question: I received a bill from my doctor for treatment relating to my workers’ compensation claim. Am I responsible for payment?

Answer: You do not have to pay your doctor for treatment resulting from your work-related accident.

There is often confusion about paying doctor bills related to work-related accidents, but the reality is relatively simple. Take for example Joanna. While at work, a heavy box fell on Joanna’s foot. As a result, she was unable to walk and had to immediately go to the emergency room. Following treatment for her broken foot, Joanna received an expensive bill from the hospital. What should Joanna do?

Joanna should not pay the bill!

Under workers’ compensation law, Continue reading →

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Monday Workers’ Comp Q&A: Does going back to work ruin my case?

If your doctor clears you to return to work, go ahead - just make sure you follow the right steps.

QUESTION: DOES GOING BACK TO WORK RUIN MY CASE?

ANSWER: Not at all!

This question comes up a lot in Workers’ Compensation cases. When someone is injured they have to balance their personal and professional obligations while including their injury as a new variable.

This is completely understandable. Oftentimes people want to try to get back to work but are not sure if their body will hold up. This uncertainty can cast a shadow over everything a person has to consider when they have a work injury.

First and foremost you should speak to your doctor and find out what you are physically capable of. While your injury may be improving, you may not be able to return at 100%.

If your doctor clears you to return to work Continue reading →

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When Is It Time To See The Doctor?

If you're hurt, get treatment right away.

Putting off seeing medical care is commonplace for chronic medical conditions. Under the Workers’ Compensation Law there is no timeframe for a claimant to see a medical provider. There is nothing in the law that requires a worker to see his doctor within 24 hours or 30 days of the accident. However, the sooner an injured worker sees a doctor, the better, especially if that worker is losing time from work because of the accident. A Law Judge will only grant awards for lost time that is backed up by medical reports.

That means if a member is out of work for three weeks before they go to a doctor, it is possible that Workers’ Compensation benefits might not be paid during that time period. In order for a claim to be successful in this situation the report that the doctor submits must have several things on it:

  • It must contain the history of the accident,
  • diagnoses a condition,
  • explain how the condition is related to the on the job incident, and;
  • comment on disability.

Disability is an essential component that must be on the reports. Without an opinion on disability, there is no evidence to dispute what the carrier doctors submit to the NY Workers’ Compensation Board.

Physicians are required to submit to the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) complete and thorough reports. The sooner that you see a doctor and have a report sent to the WCB the better for you and your case.

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If You Have Symptoms, Tell Your Lawyer Immediately!

If You Have Symptoms, Tell Your LawyerWe represent a client whose hands were directly injured a few years ago. The insurance company, as part of its defense, is raising a provision in the law which requires an injured worker to file a claim for a direct injury within two years of the accident (WCL § 28). While interviewing the client, we learned that she had been feeling symptoms in her hands years ago, at the same time as she began experiencing the symptoms to other areas of her body. But because she only mentioned that her hands hurt now, we may not be able to get her the compensation she deserves.

Our client told me that originally brought up the symptoms of numbness, tingling and weakness in her hands with her doctor, but he felt these symptoms were related to her neck, another

If you are hurt, tell your attorney everything, even if you aren’t sure if it is relevant.

area where she was injured. The doctor tried to treat her hand symptoms by treating her neck first. He Continue reading →

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Read This Before You Go To An Insurance Medical Examination

Insurance medical exams may seem like regular doctor visits, but these docs are not on your side.

Many times insurance medical examinations are considered by injured employees to be the same as Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs). There is nothing farther from the truth. These examinations are bought and paid for by the insurance company and for their benefit.

The insurance carrier doctor is no friend to an injured worker. He or she is a private consultant paid for by the carrier.

You should be prepared for these examinations by knowing your rights and how to protect them:

1) You have the right right to bring a family member or friend with you to the examination.
You can bring your spouse into the examination room during the examination. This is important because it allows for a witness to testify at court about the validity of the examination and to dispute tests that the doctor claims to have done.

2) You are permitted to audiotape or videotape the examination.
And there is nothing in the law that requires you to tell the insurance company doctor that you intend to tape the examination.

3) You should Continue reading →

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Emergency Medical Treatment Does Not Need To Be Authorized

If you don't obtain prior approval for emergency treatment, you can still file a workers' comp claim.

When an injured worker needs emergency medical care, prior authorization isn’t always possible and obtaining it does not bar a workers’ compensation claim. When a worker is hurt at work and is rushed to the emergency room for treatment, there often isn’t enough time to seek authorization from an insurance company and to obtain a claim number.

At the time of the treatment, if possible, the injured worker should let the hospital and medical provider know that the injury occurred at work and the exact details of all his or her injuries. This is sometimes an effort since emergency staff are rushed and understaffed. After the emergency care is provided the worker should immediately seek the guidance of an attorney to assist in filing a claim and obtaining reimbursement for the medical care.

At the time of the treatment, if possible, the injured worker should let the hospital and medical provider know that the injury occurred at work and the exact details of all his or her injuries. 

The law provides that the cost of Continue reading →

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Monday Q & A: Help – I forgot to keep track of the days I lost!

Failure to keep a list of lost work days won't harm your claim.

QUESTION: WHEN I GOT INJURED I DIDN’T KEEP A LIST OF THE DAYS I LOST. DOES THAT MEAN I CAN’T PUT IN A CLAIM FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION?

ANSWER: THE EMPLOYER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING TO THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BOARD ANY DAYS LOST TO INJURY.

Joe had been out with that broken leg from the scaffolding accident for more than a month but less than three. That much he knew. However, he had misplaced his date book, and just wasn’t quite sure when he had returned to work. It was all hazy which might have to do with the mild concussion he had gotten from his fall. Joe was worried that if he didn’t have the exact dates his claim, his Workers’ Comp application wouldn’t be accepted. He began to think it was pointless to Continue reading →

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