Injured Workers Usually Have the Right to Choose their Doctor

In most work injury cases in Arizona, the injured worker can select his/her treating doctor for the treatment of the work injury, as long as it is done before the second visit to the doctor chosen by the employer. (except in cases if your employer is self-insured and directs medical care)

For example, if you are hurt on the job and, following your employer’s policy, you go to an urgent care facility for treatment. If you go back to the same urgent care facility for a second visit, that doctor becomes your treating doctor.

What should I do if I want to choose my own doctor?

Find a physician, who specializes in and is experienced in workers’ compensation cases and see that doctor.

It is also a good idea to notify your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company that you want to see another doctor for further treatment of your work-related injury. At the same time, be prepared to pay for the first visit out-of-pocket and let the doctor know, right in the beginning, that you’ve chosen that treatment for a workers’ compensation injury.

If the insurance carrier denies your request, talk to a workers’ compensation attorney, right away, to discuss your options.

What should you do if your employer is self-insured and has the power to direct medical care?

If your employer is self-insured with the authority to direct care, you have to see the doctors they choose for your work-related injury treatment. In that case, the only way to change doctors is to file a ‘Request to Change doctors’ with the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA) and request permission from the employer or the person handling your claim, on behalf of the employer, to change doctors.

To learn more about workers’ compensation laws or to consult an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona, call Arizona Injury Law Group at 602-346-9009. At Arizona Injury Law Group, you deal directly with a Phoenix workers compensation attorney and not an assistant. They can even help you find the best doctors for your medical treatment.