How to Talk to Your Workers' Comp Doctor | Gielowski, Federice & Caligiuri, LLP

In New York you’re often able to select your workers’ compensation doctor from a directory of authorized physicians. But no matter which doctor you select, there are certain subjects you’ll want to cover and a certain way you’ll want to address the physician to keep the workers’ comp process moving smoothly.

Initial Details

Your doctor will want to know information about the work injury, so expect to fill out some paper work detailing how and when the damage was done. You’ll also likely need to explain some specifics about the nature of your job. It’s better to offer too much information about the injury than not enough. Little aches and pains could later end up being a bigger deal later on. This leads to the next point:

Injury Progression

Be prepared to monitor your physical progress. Let your doctor know if your pain seems to be increasing, decreasing, or even if pain seems to traveling to different parts of your body. You’ll also want to keep track of the type of pain you’re feeling. For example, stabbing pains might turn into a dull ache over the course of several days, or a tingling sensation might turn into numbness.

New Occurrences

New pain and symptoms should also be communicated to your doctor. This pain could be stemming from unrelated matters, but it could also be the result of delayed complications from your work injury. If you experience side effects from prescribed medicine, you should also update your doctor so he or she can help you find a more suitable medical solution.

If you start a new job position at work and have concerns about how suitable it is for you, communicate this to your doctor as well.

Communicate Responsibly

Honesty and openness is important, both on paper and when talking face to face with your doctor. Inaccurate information could result in an inaccurate diagnosis, as well as medical solutions that won’t actually help you recover.

You also don’t want to hurt your workers’ compensation case by providing your doctor with information that conflicts other reports of your injury. This could result in lost benefits.

Perhaps most importantly, don’t skip out on scheduled appointments with your doctor. These absences will appear in your medical record, and you don’t want to hurt your credibility in any way.