Who chooses the doctor in a California workers’ comp scenario?

Every job comes with a degree of risk. Even jobs in offices and other low-risk environments can cause medical issues for employees. They can fall and break a bone or develop repetitive stress injuries. Workers’ compensation benefits help protect employed people from financial devastation. If they get hurt at work or acquire a job-related illness, workers’ compensation can provide them with benefits.

The coverage available includes medical benefits to pay for their care and disability benefits to replace their lost wages. The doctor who treats a patient in a worker’s compensation case recommends the treatment they require and determines when they are ready to return to work. They also decide what limitations there may be on someone’s work functions. The doctor can recommend certain accommodations or decide that a worker is unlikely to respond to certain treatment.

Obviously, the doctor overseeing someone’s care has a major impact on the outcome of their claim and their recovery. Who chooses the doctor who provides care in a worker’s compensation claim scenario?

There are two separate rules that apply

California actually has two different rules that apply to physician selection in a workers’ compensation claim. If the worker only requires minimal care, then the insurance company claims administrator overseeing the claim selects the doctor who provides their treatment. Workers can avoid this situation by pre-designating a doctor before a medical issue arises.

However, if the treatment takes more than 30 days to complete, then the worker can choose the physician who provides their ongoing treatment. They can select any medical professional who cooperates with workers’ compensation.

Many times, workers can transfer to care provided by their primary care physician or someone who specializes in a certain type of injury or illness. The ability to choose a doctor allows the injured worker the best chance at recovery. Those who don’t understand this right may not make use of it and may ultimately not receive the support they require for optimal recovery.

Learning about the basics of workers’ compensation and getting help throughout the claims process can be beneficial for those coping with a work injury. Proper support allows an injured worker to focus on their recovery while trusting someone else to manage all of the paperwork and negotiations.