Being injured while on the job can be a very disheartening occurrence. The thought of a person being prevented from earning money by being injured at the place that they earn that money is sometimes more than some can deal with. Luckily, workers’ compensation insurance, in most cases, takes care of people injured while at work. It’s important, however, that a person find a reputable doctor to handle their care. In addition, there are a few other things in relation to their medical care that can help the workers’ comp process go much easier.
Immediate Care and Blood Diagnostics
In many cases, companies will have their own workers’ compensation doctors and health test labs that they want employees to see, particularly if it’s determined that that a blood test should be done. In some instances, however, there are ways around this. When this is the case, a person should still choose a reputable doctor or lab in their community. This will lessen the chances that an employer or workers’ compensation insurance adjuster will doubt or contest the findings of the physician.
Reputable doctors will also likely have qualified experience when it comes to workers’ compensation claims. This means that they can make sure that every base is covered when performing blood tests and paperwork. Having a doctor who has handled all of the necessary documentation and paperwork dealing with workplace injuries in the past is the best way to ensure everything is done efficiently. When an employee requires a health screening in California for instance, they should seek established and experienced testing sites with certified labs and medical professionals. Although any medical diagnostic or treatment information should be filed and stored by health care providers, all documentation should be copied and maintained by the patient as a back up.
The Importance of Documentation
Picking the right doctor is important because they’ll often know the documentation that a person needs for their workers’ comp claim. This doesn’t mean, however, that a person shouldn’t know what to hang on to just in case. For instance, documentation of all tests and exams, especially lab results, should be kept. This information is vital for a person’s attorney when handling the overall claim.
In addition, it’s necessary to keep all medical bills related to tests, treatments and any exams received from a doctor in relation to the injury. This will allow a person’s lawyer to get their client proper restitution for bills faced due to an on-the-job injury. These bills should be saved regardless of whether they’ve been paid or not.
Staying Organized and Prepared
Holding on to proper documentation and selecting the best doctor may seem like enough to ensure a positive outcome during a workers’ comp claim, but careful filing and organization can also go a long way. Keeping a journal or calendar with dates and a time line is a great way of doing this. Proper record keeping is an amazing help to any workers’ compensation attorney who’s handling a claim. These notes should include doctor appointment dates, test dates and dates that certain documents were notarized. It never hurts to ask a lawyer what notes and documentation would help them out either since every workers’ comp case is different.
There are a host of things that must be done after an on-the-job injury, but two of the most important are choosing the right doctor and choosing the right attorney. Both of these professionals should be highly experienced in workers’ compensation claims, and this very often ensures that maximum compensation is received without much hesitation from insurance adjusters. While most people would rather be out earning their money, getting fair compensation is often enough until they can get back on their feet.
As a former medical records technician, author Molly Pearce knows the importance of maintaining proper documentation of all procedures and exams conducted by a health care provider and the legal weight this documentation can carry. Health Testing Centers, found online at http://www.healthtestingcenters.com/, has been serving patients around the country with convenient and certified health screening in California and many other states for over 30 years. This firm offers testing for a variety of conditions that are of concern to different types of workers, and maintain detailed and confidential patient records according to all state and federal laws.
Molly P.
Latest posts by Molly P. (see all)
- How to Recognize Signs of Negligence at a Nursing Home - June 16, 2013
- The Role of Medical Care & Documentation in Workers’ Comp Claims - April 18, 2013
- The Points are Stacked Against You: 5 Advantages of a Defensive Driving Class - November 10, 2012