Right to your own Doctor
No, your employer cannot require you to seek medical treatment from any one specific provider. What your employer is allowed to do is to provide a list of physicians for you to choose from. These physicians must be licensed and qualified to provide diagnoses or medical treatment for the condition or injury affecting you. If your employer has complied with all of the requirements of posting and notifying you of a list of physicians, you may be required to choose from this list to obtain care from a health care provider on the employer’s panel of physicians for the first 90 days. Following that initial 90-day period, you may choose any doctor you wish. Many times, however, your employer cannot choose your doctor for you. Please contact us to see if you are required to treat with specific doctors of your employer’s choosing.
Getting justice from a Pennsylvania workers compensation requires aggressive Chester County workers compensation lawyers who fight for victims of work injury and are experienced at representing them at the Chester County workers compensation hearing office in Malvern PA. Contact Ciccarelli Law Offices when you have questions about your right to be seen and treated by a Doctor of your own choosing. Contact us 24/7 at (610) 692-8700.
Can I Switch Doctors?
Yes, during the first 90 days you can switch among the doctors on your employer’s panel of physicians, but you may not even be required to treat with any of the doctors on that list. Please contact us to see if you are required to treat with specific doctors of your employer’s choosing.
After the initial 90-day period, you may select a doctor of your choosing, regardless of whether or not they are one of your employer’s preferred physicians. You may also seek referrals to specialists or other physicians not on the employer’s preferred list at that time. What If My Employer Does Not Provide a List or Enough Choices?
If your employer does not provide you with a list of qualified physicians to choose from or if they provide you with a list that does not comply with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act- the 90-day requirement is waived and you may choose to obtain medical treatment from any doctor you wish. Please contact us to see if you are required to treat with specific doctors of your employer’s choosing.
What is The Workers’ Compensation Act?
The Workers’ Compensation Act gives employers some control over your medical treatment for work-related injuries. Whether the employer can dictate where you obtain medical treatment for a work injury depends on whether the employer has posted a list of six health care providers for you to choose from. If the employer has done so, you must be treated by one of the listed health care providers for a period of ninety days after the injury. After ninety days have passed, you can receive treatment from any health care provider you want.
If your employer has not posted a list of six health care providers to be seen in the event of a work-related injury, you may see any doctor of your choice.
The employer must provide written notification to employee explaining these rights and duties. Notification to employee must be evidenced only by a clear written acknowledgement signed by employee that employer provided the information. Failure of employer to provide the information relieves employee’s responsibility and employer remains liable for all treatment rendered.
If an invasive procedure (i.e. surgery) is needed during the initial ninety day period, an employee is entitled to secure a second opinion from a doctor of employee’s choice and follow that course of treatment but must abide by the following:
The course of treatment and medical procedures designated in the second opinion shall be performed by one of the employer’s doctors for a period of ninety days from the date of the visit with the second opinion medical provider; and
Employee must comply with this additional 90 days of treatment with the employer’s doctor or the employer will be relieved from liability for payment of medical bills incurred as a result of the alternative course of treatment.
After the 90 day period, employee can choose a health care provider but must notify the employer within 5 days of the first visit. Employee’s failure to notify employer relieves employer from payment of medical bills.
When you have seen a doctor of your choice for treatment of a work injury, you must provide your employer with the name and address of the doctor or health care provider within five days of your first visit in order to have the employer pay your doctor’s bills. Your doctor will then have to provide the employer with periodic reports about the treatment you have received. The first report must be sent to your employer within ten days of the first treatment. Reports then must be provided on a monthly basis for as long as you treat with that doctor for the work injury.
If you suffer from a condition or disease that you believe but are not sure is related to your work, it is very important to tell your doctor about your job, the type of physical activities you are required to do and any toxic substances you are exposed to. Your doctor can then advise you if your problem is or may be work-related.
Our promise: You need a Pennsylvania workers compensation lawyer who understands the seriousness of your Chester County workers compensation claim and will give it to you straight. You do not expect guarantees but you need a lawyer that you can trust to fight for you and your family to the fullest extent of the law. Our Chester County workers compensation team promises to work for you; be thorough and aggressive in setting out the best strategies for you and your loved ones.
We accept Pennsylvania workers compensation claims on a contingency fee basis; which means that we do not require an advance fee, retainer or hourly rate but base our fee on a percentage of the monetary settlement we earn for you. Call Us 24/7 at (610) 692-8700. Learn how we will work toward the result you need.
We serve individuals and their families injured at work and seeking workers compensation benefits throughout Chester County and the greater Philadelphia Pennsylvania region including but not limited to: West Chester, Downingtown, Coatesville, Phoenixville, Parkesburg, Kennett Square, Oxford, Malvern, and in Philadelphia, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Lancaster County, Berks County, and Northampton County in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Lancaster, Levittown, Media, Norristown, Philadelphia, Pottstown, Pottsville, Reading, West Chester, and Willow Grove. We also have Philadelphia workers compensation lawyers ready to help your case.
When you have are seeking a monetary settlement of your workers compensation Pennsylvania, you need justice; and you need a top Chester County workers compensation lawyer with years of experience winning the tough cases: contact Lee Ciccarelli and Pennsylvania Workers Compensation team today. Call 24/7 at (610) 692-8700.