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How To Select A New Workers Compensation Doctor For Your Work Injury Claim [2022]

Have Your Questions Answered and Benefits Pursued Under the Law

Have Your Questions Answered and Benefits Pursued Under the Law

How To Select A New Workers Compensation Doctor For Your Work-Related Injury in 2022 – If you've been hurt at work in 2022, your employer or their insurance carrier may have you visit a Medical Provider Network (MPN) for treatment. You can switch to another doctor within the MPN after completing your initial therapy if this is the case. Your employer or insurance company must provide you with information on how to change providers. Switching to a physician outside the MPN is generally not allowed. Keep in mind that the MPN restriction only applies to accepted claims and claims on hold. In cases where an injury has been denied, MPN treatment is not allowed, and the injured worker will be treated by non-MPN doctors on a lien basis.

Changing Treatment Provider For Accepted Claims and Claims on Delay

It's critical to find the finest treating physicians for your work accident once you've been injured. You'd want to be able to locate a specialist who offers high-quality treatment and is on your side.

Predesignating a Treating Physician in California Workers' Compensation Claims

Changing Treating Physician's Within the Medical Provider Network (MPN)

Changing Treating Physician's Within the Medical Provider Network (MPN)

Employees in California are permitted to select their own personal doctor or qualified medical group as their treating physician. However, the following criteria must be met under the legislation.

  • Employee health insurance covers medical care not associated with work accidents.
  • The employee has already given their employer advance written notice to have their personal doctor treat them for future job accidents; and
  • The employee's workplace injury is treated by the chosen doctor, who has agreed in advance to do so.

You might be able to go see your own doctor even if you don't have pre-designation if your employer didn't give you proper notice of their MPN when their failure to provide notice results in a denial of medical care. You need to speak to a lawyer if you believe you are being denied medical treatment. Dial 866-NAPOLIN.

Changing Treating Physician's Within the Medical Provider Network (MPN)

If you get hurt at work and haven't chosen a personal doctor or medical group, you will most likely be unable to choose your own doctor as your treating physician. Your employer or workers' comp insurance carrier will send you to a certain physician and provide you with a list of doctors from their approved medical provider network (MPN). If the adjuster won't do either of these things, something may be wrong and you should consult a professional.

Once you've been seen by a doctor within the MPN (usually the industrial medical clinic), you are able to change to another physician within the MPN if you're not satisfied with your current doctor.

What If I Need To See A Specialist?

How To Select A New Workers Compensation Doctor For Your Work Injury Claim

How To Select A New Workers Compensation Doctor For Your Work Injury Claim

If you are at the industrial clinic and believe that you need to see a specialist, then you need a referral from your primary treating physician. If you're not happy with the care you're receiving from your primary care doctor, you may want to consider finding a new doctor within the MPN. You should call your adjuster for help locating doctors and getting authorization to see them. Most MPN doctors require written authorization from the insurance adjuster to treat your injuries before they will schedule you with an appointment.

If you are having trouble with the MPN, your adjuster, or both, then consult with a workers' compensation lawyer immediately.

What if My Claim is Denied?

If your claim is denied, you are not able to receive treatment from an MPN doctor. You will have to find a doctor on your own and pay for their services out of pocket. This can be difficult, especially if you are unable to work because of your injury. A lawyer can help you find a doctor to treat you on a lien. Treatment on a lien means that the doctor will wait and hope that your claim later becomes accepted. If the claim is later accepted, the insurance carrier will be required to pay for all reasonable and necessary treatment rendered to you while the claim was in denied status.

It can be difficult to navigate the workers' compensation system and find the right doctor to treat your injury. However, with the help of a lawyer, you should be able to get the care you need. If you have been denied treatment or are unhappy with the care you are receiving from an MPN doctor, call 866-NAPOLIN today for a free consultation. We can help you get the treatment you need and get your claim on track.

Have Your Questions Answered and Benefits Pursued Under the Law

The attorney's experience in deciding who is the best doctors within the MPN is one of the advantages of employing a workers' compensation lawyer on an accepted claim. The MPN list ranges from conservative specialists that refuse to provide good care to liberal physicians that pay attention to employee injuries and offer the correct treatment.

If you are an undocumented worker, then you should read up on your right to undocumented workers' compensation benefits in California.

Don't wait to get the benefits and compensation you're owed under the law. 866-NAPOLIN is the number for a free consultation with an experienced workers' compensation lawyer who can answer any questions you may have about your particular case. You're also able to send in any questions you may have through our website's contact form. We'll do our best to get back to you as soon as possible.

Alexander D. Napolin, Esq.