Accidents
in the work place that arise from employment and occur during the
course of employment are covered by Workers’ Compensation.
Each
individual state has a Workers’ Compensation board that acts
as a
regulatory agent for these types of injuries. Workers’
Compensation takes care of most of the bills related to an
employee’s injuries and may even pay a certain amount of
living
expenses while the worker is unable to perform his job duties. Since
the laws vary from state to state, it would be prudent to check for
specific questions concerning a work injury with your local state
Workers’ Compensation Board or with a qualified
Worker’s
Compensation attorney. Be aware that states do have stiff penalties and
may invoke fines, prison time, or both for anyone who makes a
fraudulent Work injury claims.
Work
injuries
should be reported immediately to an employer. The employer should then
help the injured worker find a qualified health care provider to treat
the injury. The employee may request a Doctor of Chiropractic when a
work injury involves the back, neck, or result in muscle or joint
sprains and strains. If you already have a chiropractor, you may want
to have his or her name listed with your Employer or the Department of
Human Resources at your work place. The Doctor of Record is the term
used in the States that allow for this registered doctor of choice by
the employee. With a Doctor of Record, it is easier to go through the
rigorous process of obtaining the care that you would prefer for your
injury. A Doctor of Chiropractic who is knowledgeable in the
Workers’ Compensation process can be a great resource and aid
with this process. Your chiropractor can even work with an attorney,
should the injury be contested.
Nationwide,
employers pay out a great deal of money to help cover work related
injuries. This is one reason why there are tough existing penalties for
workers who make fraudulent injury claims. Also, the employer has the
right to have the injured person evaluated and in some cases treated by
a company doctor. Claims can even get trickier if partial or
full
disability is involved. Many of these more complex cases will involve
the use of attorneys. In these contested cases, the payment for the
injury claim may or may not be paid by the work carrier, depending on
how the case is settled. Also, most private insurers (companies like
Blue Cross, Etna, etc.) will deny any claim for care if the injury is
determined to be work related. However, if at a later time the
Workers’ Compensation claim is considered invalid and denied,
the
same private insurer may elect to review the claim a pay a portion of
the bill.
Workers’
Compensation can be difficult
to understand but a chiropractor who specializes in such cases can help
to guide you through the process while helping you recover from your
injury. In some cases, your chiropractor may even accept the case on a
lean basis. This insures the patient that the doctor will wait for
payment when a settlement is reached. If no settlement is awarded, your
chiropractor may agree to write-off the balance.