You’ve just been injured at work. Immediately the stress over medical bills and expenses consumes your mind. You don’t know how you’re going to make ends meet. You think you might just ignore the injury so you can get back to work. Wrong! If you’ve been injured at work, you need to look into your worker’s compensation benefit. You might be surprised to know that most employers are required to offer a worker’s compensation benefit to their employees that will help cover medical expenses, rehabilitative treatment, lost wages and more.
If you’ve been injured at work and your employer offers a worker’s compensation benefit to its employees you need to take action immediately. But where do you start?
Use Your Worker’s Comp for Chiropractic Care
When needing care for a work-related injury, you should immediately seek the care of a chiropractor. But why a chiropractor? A chiropractor will formulate a treatment plan that addresses the root-cause of your issue. Their holistic approach to healing will make sure that all areas of your body are functioning in sync so that you will return to work better than when you started. They will also make sure you are treated by using a drug-free approach. Why is this important? Often times, doctor’s unfamiliar with musculoskeletal injuries will prescribe pain medication to alleviate pain. While this treatment option might temporarily mask the pain, it doesn’t address the root cause as mentioned before, which really means it’s no solution at all. Even worse, your body can quickly become dependent on those medications often leading to drug-dependency issues. The last thing you want from one issue is another. This is why it is not only important for you to seek the care of a chiropractor for a work-related injury, but can also be beneficial to the employer, helping you get back to work as quickly but safely as possible.
Top FAQs About Worker’s Compensation Benefit
We understand that most people aren’t familiar with worker’s compensation benefits and claims and that’s okay. We’re here to help! Here are the four most common questions related to worker’s compensation that we receive:
“What qualifies as a worker’s compensation injury?”
Worker’s compensation injuries typically include accidents and illnesses caused by exposure to work activities, materials and equipment. A few common examples of worker’s compensation injuries include slips and falls, machinery accidents, and objects striking employees. For example, if a construction worker is on the job site and a metal-beam falls and hits them on the shoulder, causing the shoulder to dislocate, they would likely have a strong worker’s compensation claim.
Unfortunately, if you are suffering from back pain caused by sitting in a desk chair for prolonged periods of time, that typically does not qualify as a worker’s compensation claim. However, many employers are adapting their benefits for various claims so we still encourage you to check your policy and still seek treatment! If your injury is not covered by a worker’s compensation claim, we are happy to run your health insurance for you to see if you’re in network or if you don’t have insurance, we also offer affordable self-pay options!
“How do I seek chiropractic care for a work-related injury?”
To seek a chiropractor’s help for a worker’s compensation claim you will need a referral, but that doesn’t mean it has to come from your primary care physician. A referral can be accepted from an urgent care physician, family medicine doctor or any specialty doctor. A referral or prescription for chiropractic or rehab therapy from any Medical Doctor will work!
“Do I need to get prior authorization before my visit?”
You do not need to obtain prior authorization before your initial visit. Once you have received a referral and have set up your first visit, our team at Kaizo Health will help obtain authorization for you. We have a dedicated team that will help you though this process step-by-step and work on your behalf so that you can focus on healing and getting back on the right track.
“Do I need a lawyer for work-related injury?”
If you suffered a work-related injury that you believe is covered under your employer’s worker compensation benefit, you do not have to have an attorney. However, that doesn’t mean one cannot be helpful. We always encourage our patients to at least set up a free consultation with an attorney to see if one might be a good fit. We want each of our patients to get the most out of their benefits and while we are the leaders in providing care, we know attorneys are best at helping our patients claim their benefits. At Kaizo Health, we work hand-in-hand with some of the best local worker’s comp lawyers and are happy to provide our patients with recommendations.
Get Professional Help at Kaizo Health
Being injured is never fun and if you were injured at work then you deserve the benefits owed to you. Let us help you get the care you need at as little of an expense to you as possible. It is an employer’s obligation to pay the benefits owed to you. And just remember, it’s mutually beneficial for them to have you back to work in tip-top shape so you can continue to provide the best service for them!
If you believe you have a worker’s compensation claim and would like more information regarding chiropractic care, please call 240-766-0300 or contact us here.