We assume that when we seek out medical advice and follow a prescribed treatment protocol that we’ll begin to make a strong recovery from whatever ails us. However, life doesn’t always work this way, and sometimes you need to seek out another specialist or completely revamp your treatment plan in order to make the best recovery. If you run into this process when trying to overcome a work injury, there are some additional steps you’ll want to keep in mind to ensure you get the compensation you deserve and avoid any unexpected financial surprises. Below, we explain the steps you should take if you need additional care after a work injury because your original treatment failed.
When Your First Treatment Fails
Treatments for health conditions fail for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you were misdiagnosed, the problem was more severe than originally believed, you slacked a bit during physical therapy or the surgeon encountered difficulties during the operation. It doesn’t really matter who is to blame or if there is anyone to blame at all, what matters is that you still need care in order to make the best recovery possible. Because that original issue was the result of a work-related accident, you can take solace in knowing that your additional treatments will be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance provider.
With that said, you can’t just seek out any type of treatment that you believe will help to rectify the issue. Even if it does lead to symptom improvement, these treatments may not be covered unless you go through the proper channels ahead of time. So before you jet off to massage therapy or cryotherapy to heal your aching body, let’s take a look at the steps you’ll want to take to ensure any additional treatments are covered by workers’ compensation.
Begin by seeking out another health assessment from your treatment physician. Explain to them the issues that you are still experiencing and let them know what treatments you’ve been pursuing. This can help them learn more about your condition and make any adjustments or recommendations for treatment going forward. This is key because workers’ compensation in Minnesota will only cover medical treatment that has been deemed medically necessary by a licensed medical professional.
At the conclusion of your appointment, you should have a better idea of your treatment plan and what your doctor believes is medically necessary treatment. If they still just recommend physical therapy and rest, those are the two treatments that will be covered by workers’ compensation. If they add other treatments or request that an MRI be conducted to determine if surgery is necessary, then these recommended courses of medical care will be covered by workers’ comp. The key takeaway point for anyone who is trying to overcome a work-related injury is that in order to have your medical bills covered, the treatment you seek out needs to be recommended as medically necessary by your treatment physician.
It doesn’t matter whether it is your first treatment program or simply the most recent – in order to have any related expenses covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance provider, you need to receive medical clearance from a treatment physician. If you seek out services that have not been deemed medically necessary, they will likely not be covered by workers’ compensation, regardless of whether or not they prove effective at relieving your issue.
And if you need help with other aspects of the workers’ compensation process, like finding a trustworthy doctor or putting an accurate value to your claim request, reach out to the team at Hey Workers. We’re an experienced firm in the heart of the Twin Cities that has been winning injury awards for clients for decades, and we can do the same for you. Give our office a call today at (844) 439-9675 for more information.
