Are You Receiving the Treatment You Need?
If you have been injured on the job, you are entitled to free medical treatment and prescription drugs from the workers' compensation insurance company for as long as it is needed. At Cutler & Silverglade, we have been helping injured workers receive the medical treatment they need for more than 20 years.
Immediately after an injury, many employees are first referred to the company doctor for medical management. Company doctors and clinics, however, may be slow to acknowledge that a serious injury has occurred. It takes persistence and perseverance to make sure that the company physician is listening to your specific complaints of injury.
We will provide you with the legal backing to help make sure doctors follow through with their evaluations and honor their commitments to you. We will help you ask the right questions, such as "Don't you think I need an MRI?" or "Have you considered whether my leg pain could be something more serious?"
Workers' compensation tip: It's never a good idea to "tough out" pain following an accident. You need to be honest about the symptoms you are dealing with and tell your doctor "I have not been sleeping well since the accident due to the pain" or "I can't manage working with the restrictions you gave me at the last visit."
Clearly communicating your symptoms will help your doctor diagnose your condition, determine whether your injury is related to your work, make referrals for diagnostic tests like MRI's (magnetic resonance imaging) and EMG's (nerve tests), and then proceed with effective treatment at the earliest date.
Can I See My Own Doctor?
There are always options if you feel you are not getting the right treatment. If you have health insurance, you can use it to see your own doctor in addition to the company doctor. Never accept anyone's restriction against seeing another doctor. There are reasons to ask us first about your plan to see another specialist, or how best to handle obtaining a second opinion, but the insurance company cannot control all your options, and the law does allow for second opinions. In Indiana, our lawyers can help you arrange an independent medical examination (IME). In Illinois, there is a second choice of doctor rule that we can explain in detail.
Call Us Now and Get the Help You Need Today
To discuss your workers' compensation medical treatment with a lawyer at Cutler & Silverglade, call 888-901-COMP (2667) or fill out our contact form. We serve injured workers across northern Indiana and Illinois. For your convenience, we offer free telephone consultations with an attorney.
