Why it is crucial for a medical exam after a workplace injury

by | May 17, 2021 | Workers' Compensation |

After a workplace injury, among the first steps you must take is seeking immediate medical attention. This remains the priority. Your treatment would include a medical exam that provides necessary support related to your workers’ compensation claim. The exam also represents the beginnings of your recovery.

As an injured worker, you will need a doctor’s diagnosis to support your claim for workers’ compensation benefits. Without one, your employer’s insurance company more than likely will reject your claim. In addition, the results of your medical examination provide proof of your injuries and details their severity. With the results of the medical exam in hand, your employer will better understand the challenges you face as well as the scope of the injuries.

Doctor’s medical exam is your ally

Missing work, in your mind, is contrary to everything you believe in. Even though you likely want to return to work as soon as possible, you should not. Doing so will only make the injury worse and likely prevent you from returning to work.

You need time to recover, and a physician will help you do that by referring you to specialists for additional treatment, while also monitoring the results. Also, your physician will determine whether you have healed and when you are prepared to return to work.

Understand, though, that there are strong chances that your employer’s insurance provider will reject your claim even with your medical reports in hand. In many cases, employers do not want to pay these benefits and claim that your injuries were from a pre-existing condition or even occurred when you were not working.

Exam provides evidence of injury

If the insurance company rejects your claim, you must appeal. And with your physician’s records and orders readily available, you can provide the necessary evidence to help secure those benefits.

However, even with the medical records provided by your physician, be aware that you may have to undergo an independent medical exam as requested by your employer’s insurer. The selected physician for this examination views you through the eyes of the insurance company and will do his or her best to find signs of your injury that pre-date the workplace accident.

A medical examination supports your claims of a workplace injury. An exam marks the beginning of the process to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. There are additional steps to take before securing those benefits. But remember, that a physician’s orders and exam provide credibility, a path to recovery and the evidence necessary to support your claim.

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