Finding The Right Doctor

Did you know that with some exceptions, injured workers in Arizona have the right to choose their doctor? It’s true! After you see a doctor of their insurance carrier’s choosing, you can decide to see someone else for further care. Unfortunately, most injured workers are never informed of this fact.  

While it is possible to get adequate treatment from a doctor the insurance company chose, you may want to put some thought into who is managing your treatment. The truth is that your treating doctor actually has a lot of control over your workers’ compensation claim. For example, your doctor is tasked with determining if you are capable of returning to work with or without temporary restrictions. They are also responsible for determining when your claim can be closed and whether you have sustained a permanent disability. All of these decisions have big consequences for you and your claim.  

So how do you go about choosing the right doctor for you? You should know that not every medical office will see patients under workers’ compensation benefits. There are other offices which may agree to provide services to injured workers from time to time but may not be well versed in the workers’ compensation system. Ideally, you want to get treated by a doctor who is experienced in assisting injured workers because they will understand what their role is in properly administering your claim. Your doctor should take the time to listen to you and understand that their first responsibility is helping you recover – not keeping the insurance company or nurse case manager happy. If you need to see a doctor for an issue relating to your work injury but outside of their specialty, they should have no problem with providing a written recommendation.  If this does not sound like your current doctor, you may want to consider making a switch by filling a formal change of doctors with the Industrial Commission of Arizona. 

At Fendon Injury Law, we have a network of compassionate doctors experienced with the workers’ compensation system. Helping our clients get to the right doctor is one of the many things we do to help injured workers on their path to recovery. Contact us today if you need help with choosing the right doctor and proceeding with your workers’ compensation claim.