One of the most frequent issues I encounter when I speak to clients and groups of workers around the stat, is obtaining appropriate medical treatment in a workers’ compensation claim.

When you’re hurt on the job, you encounter a whole new world of insurance related hurdles in obtaining medical treatment. It’s not as easy as heading to your family doctor for a referral. The insurance company controls the medical treatment at all stages. If you’re hurt at work in New Jersey, your employer, or its insurance carrier has the absolute right to choose your doctor.

The reality is that the insurance company, through its adjusters and nurse case managers, can and will contact your doctor and his or her staff – and they’ll do it often. They do this for various reasons, such as to see if you really need to be out of work for the next four weeks, or whether  you meed that MRI now as opposed to three months from now.

The best advice I can give is that the doctor can be your biggest ally in a workers’ compensation claim. The insurance company has the absolute right to pick your doctor in New Jersey, however, it cannot disagree with the recommendations of it’s authorized physicians just to cut costs or end treatment. You will not earn respect if you do now show respect. Here is a link to a previous post I wrote with some tips I give to my clients with regard to how to approach medical care in workers’ compensation claims. Additionally, if you have any questions regarding your claim, please feel free to contact me to set up a free initial consultation here in my firm’s Lawrenceville, New Jersey office. I would be happy to review your case and discuss your options in more detail with you.