We have helped tens of thousands of injured workers since 1997. If you would like a FREE case review, please contact us any time at 888-705-1766.
An injured worker started a live chat with us and the first thing that they said is that they need to find a doctor who takes workers’ compensation cases. While that is not a common problem, it does come up from time to time.
Some things you should know:
- Under Illinois law, you not having health insurance does not matter if it’s a work related injury.
- There is no “in network” when it comes to work comp medical care. You can see any qualified doctor.
- Most doctors will take work comp cases because they know they will get paid. Some do not because they think they will have to testify in litigation which is almost always not the case, especially if they are not orthopedic doctors.
The mistake this injured worker made is she did not seek out our help until six weeks after her accident. She said that she had been asking her boss who she can see and also the insurance company and everyone is making her wait.
Under Illinois work comp law, you do not need to wait for approval and should not wait. You should get to a doctor ASAP. Worst case scenario is you go to the emergency room and get a doctor recommendation from there.
We, as lawyers, of course know tons of doctors that handle work injury cases and do a great job taking care of their patients. We are happy to recommend a doctor to you if needed. What we will not do is insist that you see a certain doctor or recommend a doctor because they send us their patients. A lot of attorneys do this, and in my opinion, this is a huge and I mean HUGE red flag. If a lawyer is really pushing you to use a certain medical group, in my experience, there is something in it for them.
You also want to avoid a doctor that the insurance company sets you up with. If they are choosing them, it is often because they have a relationship with them and the doctor will look out for the interests of the insurance company. The same is true with company clinics. It is OK to go there right after you get hurt, but it should not be your primary source of treatment if your injury is something that needs more than a one time visit.
So while there is a lot to worry about, finding a good doctor should not be one of those things. We can help with that just like we can help with any other aspect of your case.
If you would like a FREE, confidential case review, please reach out any time. We will give you the same guidance that we would give to a friend or family member and will do whatever we can to protect you.