Can I Choose My Doctor If I Get Injured on the Job in Alabama?

After a workplace injury, you may feel like everything is out of your control. Unfortunately, that is true in a lot of ways. Your employer has a lot of control over the care you receive and what type of updates they receive, and you simply have to comply with your doctor’s orders. If your treating physician is not a good fit for you, you may wonder about your options. Find out who chooses your treating physician, what options you have, and how you can protect your workers’ compensation claim.

Looking for help with your workers’ compensation case? We’re here to help. Call Thiry & Caddell at 251-336-3627 to start your consultation now.

Your Initial Physician

The Alabama Department of Labor outlines employees’ and employers’ rights and obligations when it comes to workers’ compensation. The employer chooses the treating physician when the employee begins treatment. However, if the situation is an emergency, the employee will go to the nearest care provider and begin treatment there before switching to an approved provider. This means that you do not get to choose your doctor.

What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Provider?

This does not mean, though, that you have to keep receiving care from a physician that provides inadequate care. If you are dissatisfied with the care that you are receiving, you do have options. You can tell your employer that you are unhappy with your current medical care provider and that you want to switch. At that point, they will provide a list of four physicians. You can choose your doctor from that list.

Note that there’s no point at which you can simply choose your own physician, go to your primary care physician, or otherwise go off-list. If you do this, you will have to pay your own medical expenses. Furthermore, you may be found to be out of compliance with your treatment plan and have additional issues getting workers’ compensation benefits.

Physician Referrals

Care from a general physician isn’t always enough, especially for people with multiple work injuries or complex injuries. There are situations in which you may need care from a specialist. If your treating physician refers you to another doctor, your employer is required to cover the expenses associated with that care.

How to Protect Your Claim

There are several ways that this system can put you at a disadvantage. To start, physicians that are approved by workers’ compensation insurance providers generally have one thing in common: they save the insurance companies money. This means that if there are multiple treatment options, they may recommend the cheapest one, even if it isn’t the most effective.

While some employers will simply send you to the most convenient doctor and avoid trying to cut corners on your care, others know exactly which physicians will save them money and which ones will give employees expensive, high-quality care. While you should be able to have an open and trusting relationship with any medical care provider that helps you, that isn’t always the case when it comes to workers’ compensation.

That’s why it’s important to avoid doing anything that could endanger your workers’ compensation benefits. You’ll want to follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations to a T, ask any questions, and avoid any activities or behaviors that might make it look like you aren’t taking your injury seriously.

You should also be on the lookout for any signs that your workers’ compensation claim is in danger. If the doctor casts doubt on your symptoms or your pain levels, tries to insinuate that you have been non-compliant with their treatment plan, or seems to be attempting to catch you in a lie, those are all red flags. At that point, you should definitely talk to a workers’ compensation lawyer and be proactive about your case.

Reach Out to Thiry & Caddell Today

The sooner you connect with the team at Thiry & Caddell, the sooner we can look into your claim and find out how best to assist you. Call us at 251-336-3627 or send us a message online to schedule a consultation. We’re here to help you get the benefits that you are entitled to.