If you question the treatment provided by the doctor chosen by your employer, and that provider releases you to return to work, you have the right to seek a second opinion. If a second doctor disagrees with the first, you can appeal to the workers’ compensation board.
You always have the right to see a doctor of your choice in addition to your employer’s doctor. The prospect of recovering from your injury and returning to work is a primary reason that seeing a doctor not affiliated with your employer or its insurer is a good idea.
The overall goal of workers’ compensation is to help an injured worker recover and return to work. But a workers’ comp insurer has a monetary interest in your return to work, since this means the end of benefit payments.
If the insurer’s doctor says you have recovered, but a second doctor says you need additional treatment, you may petition the workers’ compensation board. The board may order the insurance carrier to pay for the additional medical treatment as recommended by your “second opinion.”
A workers’ compensation attorney from the Ginarte law firm can help you obtain a second opinion if you do not already have our own doctor, and can represent you in an appeal to the workers’ compensation board.
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