Your Workers' Compensation Case Enters A New Phase
Posted on: 29 July 2022
After a workplace injury, you might be covered by your employer's workers' compensation insurance. This type of insurance usually covers any medical expenses, and it also pays hurt workers to stay home and recover. At some point, however, things will change. Read on and find out more.
How Long Can You Be Paid?
Your doctor is responsible for ordering you to stay home, and they are also in charge of when you return to work, up to a point. The transition between staying home and earning a partial salary and what happens next, though, can be tricky. This is how this phase usually comes about:
- The workers' compensation insurer asks you to undergo a special medical examination. The independent medical examination (IME) often follows weeks or months of time out of work. Some types of workplace injuries take longer to heal, and the workers' compensation insurance company is interested in the status of your healing.
- The IME is conducted by a doctor working under contract with the workers' compensation insurer. The exam includes questioning you about the accident, your treatment so far, and how you are doing at the present.
- The results of the IME could mean being asked to return to work. However, many hurt workers are not healed from their injuries. It's vital not to return to work if you are still affected by the injury.
- The results of the IME might also signal a permanent injury.
What Happens Next?
You have a right to be concerned when you are asked to undergo an IME. It's advisable to retain a workers' compensation lawyer as soon as possible. Many hurt workers are asked to return to work too soon, and others still are offered inadequate settlements if they have been ruled to be permanently injured. Your workers' comp lawyer will assist you at this point in the process by:
- Arranging for you to have a second IME if you disagree with the findings of the first one.
- Arrange to submit the paperwork to request an appeal of any adversarial findings. Workers have the right to contest any findings by insurers. This process is overseen by your state workers' compensation board.
- Negotiate with the workers' compensation insurer to get you a good settlement if you are deemed to be permanently disabled. They can help you choose the payment plan that provides you with the best financial security.
If you notice problems with your case, phone a workers' compensation lawyer and get the support you need.
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