Unfortunately, many company doctors will try and pressure an employee to go back too early.
Though the workers’ compensation system exists throughout the country, the specifics of it depend on which state you live in. For example, in Missouri, you must see a company doctor, rather than a private one, after a work injury. This professional will diagnose, treat, and assess you periodically during your post-injury process. Unfortunately, as any St. Louis work injury lawyer will tell you, these doctors are often not the right choice for your work injury claim.
Communication Issues
One of the most frustrating things that can happen with a doctor is feeling like you’re not understood. You explain what happened leading up to your injury, describe your pain, and more, but the doctor seems to not be listening. Then, when you receive your diagnosis and treatment plan, you realize that your suspicions were correct. The best thing a doctor can do is repeat what you’re saying back to you before moving onto the next subject. Doing so allows assurance that you are both on the same page.
Misrepresenting Your Health
The most likely outcome of a doctor not listening to you is later misrepresenting your health. This error can present itself in the following ways.
- Improper Diagnosis – After your initial consultation, the company doctor will give you a diagnosis. Unfortunately, this assessment is often wrong. Your report might underestimate your pain, leave out critical details, or contain other harmful errors.
- Overestimating Your Abilities – One of the most important jobs that a doctor has is deciding how much time you need to take off from work. Some physicians make the mistake of claiming that you are ready to return to work right away when in reality, you are not physically capable of doing so.
- Harmful Treatment Plan – Though you are not a medical professional, you have some control over your treatment plan. For example, if you are wary of prescription painkillers, you can tell your doctor that and have your recovery strategy altered.
Pressuring You Back to Work
The ultimate goal of every injured worker is to get healthy and return to work. Whether their injuries are minor, moderate, or severe, there is a good chance that the employee will have the ability to be useful in some way. Unfortunately, many company doctors will try and pressure an employee to go back too early. The result is often unnecessary pain, feelings of inadequacy, and high risk of reinjury.
While some work injury cases go smoothly, many victims will suffer issues throughout the process. One of the most common of them is insufficient medical care. Luckily, you can watch out for warning signs that will indicate that you need to explore other doctors. If you decide that you should, your next move will be to talk to a St. Louis workers compensation lawyer about the legal options.
Contact a St. Louis Work Injury Lawyer
Our legal team has a strong history of helping injured workers get the medical attention and financial compensation that they need. Contact our St. Louis work injury attorney to ensure that your rights are protected. Please call (314) 361-4300 or fill out our online contact form.