Lessons Learned Trying to Gain Workman’s Comp: Part 1

Lessons Learned Trying to Gain Workman’s Comp: Part 1

I recently was hurt on the job and unfortunately have learned many lessons the hard way on what to do and what not to do. The goal of this series of articles is to help you if you are looking to file workman’s comp, and if you’re not, then it will at the very least help make you aware of your rights.

I work in an extremely labor intensive factory. We had been working at least six days a week, most of the time seven. We were pulling minimum ten hour shifts which on many occasions stretched out to twelve.

Like most factory jobs, we have a company physician who visits the factory once a week. If you go to see them instead of your regular family physician the company will pay your co-pay. This creates an extremely convenient way of seeing a Dr. at no cost to you and since she comes to your place of work you do not have to worry about fighting for an off day or asking to leave early to receive medical care.

Mistake Number 1:

Never use the company physician for any reason unless you just absolutely have no other choice. I did see her one time about five months before trying to get workman’s compensation, due to the fact that my back was hurting from such long hours and no days off for well over a month and simply did not have a $10 co-pay to see my family doctor.

With the large number of “Urgent Care” centers open (my mom calls them “Doc in a box”) now days with extended hours and no appointment needed you can see a doctor after work fairly easily. If you do not have the money on hand for a co-pay (face it, sometimes a simple $10 bill can be hard to come by), then don’t be afraid to make use of your local pawn shop.

The company doctor is just that, a company doctor. You are not their priority nor are they looking out for your best interest. Their interest rests with the company, not you.

During that visit with the company doctor she immediately went into company protective mode going over with me a quick physical in which she was looking for a reason to call my back problems pre-existing. Understand during this visit I wasn’t looking to place blame, I simply just wanted out of pain. She spent the first 20 minutes of my visit telling me how a previous leg injury I had nearly 16 years ago was the problem. It was getting so annoying in fact that I had to finally stop her and tell her that I was not here to discuss my leg, and that I was here for my back.

It was a very uncomfortable visit because I could very easily see what she was doing even though all I was looking for was some relief for my back. Here is a doctor with absolutely no history of me, except to pass the initial physical when I was hired, going into company protective mode. Finally after I basically refused to discuss my leg further she wrote me a prescription for a powerful anti inflammatory which did allow me to go to work the next day with relatively no pain.

While the event that took place that prompted me to file a workman’s comp claim didn’t take place till five months later. I was pressured into seeing the company doctor yet again. I was unaware that in my state, I was allowed to see the doctor of my choice for initial treatment.

So in my attempt to gain a workman’s comp status, I walked into the very office of the doctor who is designed to stop me from getting workers compensation and sought initial treatment and was denied a work comp status.

Mistake Number 2:

If you are ever injured on the job seek treatment from your regular doctor. This will give you a large leg up in receiving an honest opinion about your injury. During the course of filing a workman’s comp claim of course you may be required to see the company doctor. However to seek initial treatment there is akin to shooting yourself in the foot.

I walked into the office and signed in. Before I even saw the company doctor she had already contacted the workman’s comp adjuster and had my claim denied before even seeing her. How can you ever expect to receive a fair shake when actions like this take place?

The best advice I can offer is to get yourself a workman’s comp handbook from whatever state you live in. Since the laws do vary state by state. Make yourself aware of what doctor you are allowed to see for initial treatment.

To view the rest of my reports about my battle with workman’s compensation, please go to my profile and subscribe to my articles. This way you can be updated when the rest are published.


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *