Work Injury Claim Q and A
Q: I had a work injury several years ago and my back has never been the same. I recently went to the doctor, but the insurance company refused to pay the bill for my work injury. I called the claim representative and was told that because my work injury claim was “closed” I was no longer entitled to treatment. That doesn’t seem fair. Is there anything I can do?
A: The insurance representative is wrong. The law is very clear that injured workers are entitled to medical treatment for their workplace injury for as long as the nature of the workplace injury requires. There is no time limit for a work injury claim. If your doctor agrees medical treatment is necessary and says the treatment is directed at the injury, the service is covered. Palliative treatment, such as physical therapy or acupuncture, will need pre-approval, but is still covered as long as the doctor says the treatment is necessary to keep your condition stable and you are still in the workforce or looking for work. And your claim can be reopened if you need more aggressive treatment, such as surgery. The Workers’ Compensation Act was created to help working men and women, including providing medical treatment and wage loss until the worker is able to return to his or her job.
Contact an attorney or Workers’ Compensation Department