I Got Hurt on the Job: What Should I Do?

The latest safety report reveals that over 4.5 million people were injured at work. The most common industries where these accidents occurred were educational and health services, government, and retail. The most common causes of workplace injuries were heat, overexertion, contact with objects and equipment, falls, trips, and slips.
 

If you get hurt or sick on the job, the first step is for a medical professional to assess the extent of your injuries or illness. At Midwest Sports and Interventional Spine, located in Lake Geneva and Kenosha, Wisconsin, board-certified interventional pain specialist Cyril Philip, MD, conducts in-depth assessments of workplace injuries to determine what medical treatment you need and when and if you can return to work.
 

If you can’t return to work because of your injuries, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation from your employer’s insurance company. Learn more about the steps you need to take if you’re injured so that you can receive benefits if you can’t return to your job. 

What is workers’ compensation?

Workers’ compensation is weekly cash benefits paid to the injured worker to cover their medical care and other necessities while they heal and recover from their injury away from work. If you return to work, even though your injury prevents you from working in the same capacity, you may be entitled to benefits that make up the difference between your earnings before and afterward.

The employer’s insurance pays workers’ compensation benefits; the injured worker does not have to pay the insurance premiums or cover their medical bills. Additionally, fault is not a factor when it comes to collecting benefits unless the worker got intoxicated by drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident. 

However, if there is a dispute about your injuries and the benefits you should receive, you undertake an independent medical examination (IME) with Dr. Philip to resolve the dispute.

What to expect at your IME

During your IME with Dr. Philip, he reviews your medical history, documents related to your workplace injury, and any treatment you may have already received. Then, he conducts a thorough medical exam, taking meticulous notes while asking relevant health questions.

When the IME is complete, Dr. Philip drafts a detailed, impartial report with his conclusions and opinions to submit to the insurance company. You also receive a copy. 

If you’ve been involved in a workplace accident or injury and need an impartial personal injury assessment or an IME, call Midwest Sports and Interventional Spine or request an appointment online today.