Doctors and workers’ comp

When you have a workers’ comp injury, nothing is more important than your recovery. And nothing can help – or hinder – your journey back to good health more than your medical treatment. How do you get to the best doctor for your condition?

North Carolina workers’ compensation law gives the insurance company the responsibility to provide treatment and right to “direct” the medical treatment in cases they have accepted. But when the doctor you are sent to is not providing the care that you feel you need, you often can get another opinion.

You get another medical opinion by asking the insurance adjuster for another doctor in writing. It is best to give specific names of doctors that you want to see. You can check on which doctors in your area treat your condition on the North Carolina Medical Board’s website. Orthopedic (bone and joint) surgeons often treat workers’ compensation injuries but many limit their practice to one or more body parts. Many doctors are board-certified, meaning that they are experienced and have passed other requirements in order to be called a specialist in their area of medicine. The best advice is often from friends, family or co-workers that have had experience with a doctor that treats your injury.

What if the insurance adjuster says no or doesn’t respond? You can ask the NC Industrial Commission for assistance, or call workers’ compensation specialists Valerie Johnson.