An injury on the job is the last thing any worker wants to experience. Injuries can impede your ability to do your job and they affect your daily life at home. It’s important for injured workers to recover as quickly as possible so they can get back to doing their jobs. Fortunately, injured workers can file for workers’ comp to help cover the costs of their treatment.
Workers’ comp looks different in every state. If you’re an injured worker in Blaine, Washington, you should contact the U.S. Department of Labor for information about workers’ comp in the state. However, there are a few tips to keep in mind for no matter where you live. Below, we’ve listed four tips that are helpful to remember when you need to see a workers’ comp doctor for an occupational injury.
Four tips to remember when visiting a workers’ comp doctor
- Report the injury to your boss immediately — Your employer will need to know about your injury as soon as possible for several reasons. First, he or she will need to make sure you have time for recovery and that your shifts are covered. Second, he or she may need to make a statement about your injury claim. If you miss your state’s deadline for reporting the injury, you may miss out on coverage for your claim.
- Look for quality — The insurance covering your workers’ comp chooses the workers’ comp doctor who will work with you. This can be a conflict of interest since he or she may be tasked with keeping the insurance company’s expenses low. This could reflect in less-than-best treatment for you. Each state has different regulations for switching workers’ comp doctors. If you feel you’re not getting the best treatment for your injury, contact the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Always be honest — Insurance companies don’t like paying for false injuries. That’s why it’s important to be honest about your injury and never exaggerate. The insurance company will be monitoring your behavior and documenting anything they might be able to use to deny your claim. It’s best to leave any errands or chores to a friend or a loved one while you recover, so the insurance company cannot suspect you of falsifying a claim.
- Keep records — You should keep records of all documents from the time of injury until your treatment is complete. These records can detail the progress of your treatment to help back up any claims you may need to make.
Contact Whatcom Physical Therapy for occupational therapy
Workers’ comp doctors often send their patients to physical therapists for treatment. Physical therapists can help reduce pain and improve your recovery time. At Whatcom Physical Therapy in Blaine, Washington, we’re ready to help you feel like yourself again.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
Our Blaine location:
250 G St.
Blaine, Washington 98230
Whatcom Physical Therapy serves residents of northwestern Washington from three different locations. Please visit our locations page if you would like to check out one of our other clinics.
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