The need to get medical attention following a work injury, or the onset of an illness at work, can get taken care of without worries. No loss of time is necessary.

Workers can come in to see a doctor when they need to by planning ahead.

When An Injury or Illness Strikes

As soon as an injury or illness happens, a worker that plans to overcome their problem does not leave anything to guesswork. Emergencies get taken care of immediately. A 911 call or a trip to the emergency room are started on the spot. They report their condition to their boss right away. Meeting to talk about the health condition will save time, perhaps critical time, later after a workers compensation claim has been filed and medical paperwork needed for payments gets done.

Filling out the claim form is handled soon so medical payments start at the earliest possible time.

Work can get cut short. Choosing a hospital or a medical professional is the decision at hand. An employer may tell their worker the place to go to get medical attention. Wherever they go for help, the worker needs to tell the medical staff the injury or illness happened on the job.

Agreeing On The Long Term Plan

The main goal during a period spent out of work is to return to full health. All medical treatment needs to be done before the workers' compensation case ends. The most reliable way of getting good medical attention is choosing a personal doctor and telling the employer their name before any injury or illness happens. This is called predesignation. Workers can see their predesignated doctor right away. And continue to see them until they are healed.

Any worker that chooses not to predesignate a doctor can ask a claims administrator that handles the workers' compensation claim to tell them where to go for treatment. A doctor that follows California medical treatment guidelines is someone the California Division of Workers' Compensation recommends.

Returning To Normal and To Work

The end of the health plan is not the last doctor's appointment. It is when the health returns to normal and the worker is back at work doing all the things can. Talking to the employer about the health condition and choosing the right doctors are both important because the two have to work with the worker on planning work that the worker can do safely during the time they are recovering. An effective return to work plan fits the injury. Any weaknesses or vulnerabilities have to be taken care of by deciding assignments that are safe and the amount of time the recovering worker can work without putting their health at risk. Special equipment is sometimes needed.

Not Held Back from Care

Decisions on medical payment made by a superior at work, or by the company's insurance company, do not have to get in the way of full medical treatment. A worker can challenge their decisions. All they have to do is start by calling an Information & Assistance officer at the DWC.

Going Through To Recovery

Success is an old familiar work day. Like the Division of Workers' Compensation says, staying active gives a worker a better opportunity to fully recover.

Source:

Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation, Workers Compensation in California: Questions & Answers, The Basics About Medical Care for Injured Workers (2006).