Everything the insurance company needs to do takes forever. If the doctor orders therapy, it takes two weeks to get approved. If the doctor orders an MRI, it takes three weeks. The doctor recommended surgery, and now work comp wants another opinion. If this is happening to you, you should call our office right away.
What are my rights?
The workers compensation laws in Indiana state that the employer shall provide an attending physician and authorize whatever treatment that physician recommends. This has been interpreted to mean that the employer gets to choose what doctor you see. In turn, it is the position of many attorneys who handle workers’ compensation cases that once an employer chooses a doctor, the employer is stuck with that doctor’s recommendations.
In reality, insurance companies often try to do whatever they want whenever they want—unless and until they are stopped by your attorney and/or the judge on your case. For example, if the insurance company sends you to Dr. Jones and she recommends spine surgery, the insurance company may then send you to Dr. Smith to see if Dr. Smith will disagree. This is one of many tricks insurance companies use to shirk responsibility for providing you the benefits to which you’re entitled. Our attorneys combat these tricks every day. This is where we take steps to fight for you! We will either stop the employer from trying to do this or get the case in front of a judge as quickly as we can to fight for your rights.
Again, the workers’ compensation laws state that the employer shall furnish whatever medical treatment the attending physician (the chosen work comp doctor) recommends. The actions of the worker’s compensation carrier have become a terrible game, unfortunately, to avoid paying for expensive treatment. If you need help protecting your interests and you are a part of this unfortunate game, please let us know. The attorneys at Klezmer Maudlin handle these types of situations.