What Should Your Expectations Be For Workplace Injury Treatment?

Going to a workplace injury treatment doctor is a normal part of the process of handling issues after an incident. Naturally, people wonder what they should expect, so here are four common issues that usually come up during the process.

Diagnosing Problems

Whenever a patient visits a workplace injury treatment physician, it's important to diagnose whatever problems they might have. Even if a previous doctor provided extensive reporting about the situation, it's a good idea to at least conduct a physical exam. There may also be X-rays and other scans if the doctor believes a patient has suffered more than soft-tissue damage. The doctor might order some blood work and other tests if they think more could be going on.

Treatment Plan

Working on the information from the exams and tests, the workplace injury treatment doctor will develop a plan. Especially if the initial exams indicate that the patient isn't in the best condition, the treatment plan could start very light. The doctor may want to see how the patient responds to various therapies before picking a direction.

Determining if Therapy Is an Option

A major part of workers' compensation injury physical therapy is determining if PT is going to be a viable option. The doctor will want to assess how much progress, if any, the patient has demonstrated. Also, the doctor will want to assess whether the results from the physical therapy are sufficient to warrant continued sessions.

Notably, for many workers' compensation cases, this is a normal part of the overall claims process. The government agency in charge of the decision, usually a workers' compensation board, will want to see medical evidence regarding the extent of the claimant's injuries. Also, most boards want to see documentation that the claimant gave physical therapy a fair chance.

You should keep copies of all of the paperwork related to your PT. If the board rejects or modifies your claim, the paperwork can be invaluable in mounting an appeal before a workers' compensation judge. Also, if you elect to hire a lawyer, they will want to see the paperwork so they can evaluate the case.

How Long Is the Process?

A workplace injury treatment physician can usually make a determination within a few weeks to a couple of months. If physical therapy appears to be effective, you may need to continue with it for a while longer. Extreme cases could take months or years, and some folks might have lifelong issues that require ongoing therapy.

To learn more, contact a workplace injury treatment doctor. 

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