If you have been injured on the job, you already feel miserable. Going to a doctor you do not know may not help you feel any better about your situation. You may have a hundred thoughts going through your head. Will they have your medical history? Do you they really care about your injury? Can you get to the appointments easily? Your question then becomes: Can I go to any doctor for my workers comp claim in Georgia? Do you have to use the doctor that’s on their panel?
Hello, my name is Ty Wilson. I’m a Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorney, practicing law in the State of Georgia. And our video question for today is, “Do you have to use orthopedic that’s on their list of “Posted Panel of Physicians”? or put another way, “Can I go to any doctor for my workers comp claim in Georgia?”
Georgia has some very specific laws about what is known as the “posted panel of physicians”. You can read more about that here: What Is a Posted Georgia Panel of Physicians?, but the question in this article is whether that posted panel is a legally valid panel or is this something that the employer just said, “Go to this doctor”.
There are many questions about the doctors you can use, what you can do and cannot do with regard to your care after an injury. If there is a legally valid posted panel of Physicians, you are required to use them as far as your medical care. As with most things, there are exceptions. Let’s walk through a scenario:
Joe has injured his knee at work. He is in great pain and reports the injury promptly to his employer by letting his manager know. The employer tells him to use the panel of doctors posted up in the breakroom. Joe calls to make an appointment and learns that this orthopedic doctor specializes in back injuries. He does not have experience with knee or leg injuries. What does Joe do? Joe is now asking “Can I go to any doctor for workers comp claim in Georgia at this point?” because he really needs a specialist.
Rather than a back and forth with your employer and the workers comp insurance adjuster, it’s better to have an attorney review your situation and possibly provide representation. He will know the laws in Georgia and can make recommendations on whether you should pursue a workers comp, the best way to get medical care and how to protect your job.
If this is something you need assistance on, our office can provide a free case review. Contact us here. You can also upload documents if you need for us to review.
