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The process was intended to be simple. The steps meant to be clear. You suffer a work-related accident and injury. You notify your boss of that injury. Your employer then communicates the accident or injury information to its insurance carrier. And, the insurance carrier arranges for you to see a doctor. Simple? While it should be simple, it often is not. Many injured workers face hurdles getting necessary medical care. In some cases, it is the employer creating hurdles. In others, it is the insurance carrier.
I recently prepared for the deposition of a plant nurse in a case where the employer created several hurdles to medical care. Why would an employer delay or refuse to start the medical treatment process for its injured employee? An employer may have several reasons to delay care or ignore injury problems. Some employers have insurance policies with high deductibles. A few large employers in Alabama qualify as self-insured. In both situations, an employer may be looking at its out-of-pocket costs. Other employers simply don’t want to file a claim and risk a premium increase. Regardless of the reason, employer delays in medical care harm you the most.
An article in the Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) journal detailed the story of one company cited by OSHA for “medical mismanagement” because of these issues. The article is titled OSHA Cites Pilgrim’s Pride for Medical Mismanagement and Other Safety Hazards. An OSHA area director was quoted in the article:
Referring an employee for medical attention in a timely manner is critical in order to prevent musculoskeletal disorders or further injury.
. . .
Having employees visit a first-aid room for ‘in-house treatment’ over a course of weeks or months without a referral to a physician can lead to additional long-lasting injuries for employees. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure workers are protected from workplace injuries.
What are some of the most common ways employers delay medical treatment for workers hurt on the job? Here are three common delay tactics:
I’ve seen many delay tactics over the years. You can suffer greatly from these delays. Sometimes, these delays make it difficult for you to prove your case later in court. Sometimes, these delays cause you to lose your job when the pain and problems reach a certain point. Sometimes, these delays cause an easily treatable injury to become chronic and disabling. If you are hurt at work, you need proper medical care. You need care as soon as possible. You do not need unreasonable delays. If you need advice on these issues, call us. The attorneys at the Blackwell Law Firm are happy to help.