Three Reasons Why It’s So Important To Visit A Doctor After A Work Injury

Visiting the doctor is rarely a fun experience, and we understand that you may want to avoid heading to the doctor if at all possible. Many injured workers find themselves faced with their decision every day. Should they head to the doctor to have their work injury assessed, or will they just be able to shake it off and return to work after a day or two?

In these situations, we believe that it is incredibly important for the worker to have their injuries examined by a medical professional, and we explain why it’s so important in today’s blog.

Three Reasons Why Medical Care Is Important After A Work Injury

You owe it to yourself and your family to have your injuries looked at by a medical professional following an on-the-job accident. Here are three reasons why a professional medical evaluation is so important after a work injury.

1. Your Own Health – First and foremost, you may require professional care for your injuries. You may need to have stitches put in place, x-rays taken or a concussion assessed so that your doctor can help you figure out exactly what you’re dealing with and set you up with an individualized treatment program. There’s also the possibility that your injuries are more severe than you realize, and in these instances you need a doctor to get to the bottom of your injuries. Your health takes precedent over your work duties following an on-the-job accident, so prioritize your health and head to a doctor’s office.

2. Necessary For An Injury Claim – In order for you to be able to file for workers’ compensation, you need to undergo a professional medical assessment where a doctor confirms the existence of real injuries tied to your work duties. You can’t just say that your neck hurts because of your work duties and file for compensation. You need proof that your injuries exist, and this proof needs to come from a medical professional. Even if you’re not certain that you will be filing for workers’ compensation, you should head to a doctor’s office, because one thing is for certain – If you do want to file a claim days or weeks later and you never went to the doctor, your claim will be unsuccessful.

3. Provide Legitimacy– Going to the doctor on the same day as your accident or within 24 hours also helps to provide legitimacy to your injury claim. Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance provider will look for any reason to poke holes in your claim and limit your payout, and if you took days or weeks to seek out a medical evaluation, they may argue that you aren’t as injured as you claim to be, or they may suggest that you were actually hurt outside of work since you took so long to visit a doctor. Don’t give the insurance company any reason to doubt the legitimacy of your claim. Instead, seek out a doctor shortly after the incident and leave no doubt as to the reason for your injuries.

Visiting a doctor after a work injury can ensure that your health is taken care of and make it much easier to move forward with a successful injury claim if you decide to file for workers’ compensation benefits. Don’t make things harder on yourself by trying to be tough after an accident. Seek out medical attention and lay the foundation for a potential injury claim.

To make the process even simpler, consider connecting with a lawyer who can develop a strong claim and present it to the insurance company or a judge should the case go that far. Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm have done that for countless clients, and we can do the same for you. For more information, or for help with any aspect of your injury claim, reach out to our office today at (952) 230-2700.