I Want an MRI But My Doctor Ordered Physical Therapy
Posted by Michele Lewane | Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor, Working With The Adjuster/Nurse Case Manager
Seeing a workers’ compensation doctor is different than seeing your family physician. When you are injured at work, the workers’ compensation insurance carrier gets to dictate which doctor you see. They give you three doctors to choose from which they have hand picked! I have a lot of injured workers tell me that they feel …
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Transportation Issues DO NOT Affect Your Ability to Work!
Posted by Michele Lewane | Returning To Work, Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor
Injured workers who have been released to return to work are, sometimes, under limitations that restrict their driving abilities, or they are on medications that affect their ability to drive. Or, they may have a manual shift car that is uncomfortable for them to operate due to their injury and they want to know if …
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I Don’t Like My Workers Compensation Doctor. Can I See Someone Else Under My Regular Health Insurance Instead?
Posted by Michele Lewane | First Steps, Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor
I Don’t Like My Workers Compensation Doctor. Can I See Someone Else Under My Regular Health Insurance Instead? Let me warn you folks, this is a slippery slope! I know, all too well, the stress and inconvenience a work injury can put on a person. Then, it is oftentimes compounded by the fact that the …
Should I Be Getting Temporary Total Disability or Temporary Partial Disability Pay?
Posted by Michele Lewane | Returning To Work, Workers' Compensation Benefits
This question comes up a lot for injured workers, especially when the have been bounced between light duty work and completely off of work. Temporary total disability benefits (TTD) is pay for an injured worker when the workers’ compensation doctor has deemed it appropriate for them to be completely out of work due to their …
NEVER EVER Refuse Medical Treatment!
Posted by Michele Lewane | First Steps, Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor
Main takeaways: Never say “no” Buy yourself some time If medical benefits are stopped, so are lost wage benefits Explore your legal options – Consult a Virginia Workers Compensation Lawyer! Move with caution Let’s face it. Sometimes, medical treatment can be scary. Injections and surgeries all come with risks and I can definitely understand someone …
What is Your Average Weekly Wage?
Posted by Michele Lewane | Returning To Work, Workers' Compensation Benefits
People who get injured at work and are receiving workers’ compensation benefits are paid based on their pre-injury gross (pre-tax) average weekly wage (AWW). This is the legal term for the average gross wages earned 52 weeks (1 year prior) to the injury. So, if you were injured on April 30, 2013, your pre-injury gross …
Workers’ Compensation Rules Are Different by State!
Posted by Michele Lewane | First Steps, Hiring A Lawyer, Workers' Compensation Benefits
I get a lot of calls from injured workers who were injured in _______ (New York, Texas, Vermont – you get the picture) and they have questions because they recently moved to Virginia and want to know what they need to do next and how this affects their claim. The truth is, it depends on …
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I Got injured in Virginia. Am I allowed to leave the state?
Posted by Michele Lewane | Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor
I get this question a lot! Being injured in Virginia and having a Virginia workers’ compensation claim does not mean that you have to spend the rest of your life in Virginia in order to collect your benefits. This is one of those “it depends” type of situations and it really depends on what phase …
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Different Levels of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Hearings & Appeals Process
Posted by Michele Lewane | Claim Accepted - Now What?, Claim Denied - Now What?, First Steps, Workers' Compensation Benefits
The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission is divided into 4 divisions that have different functions. Read on to learn how this process works. Deputy Commissioner – (Division 1) If any part of your claim has been contested (for example, if the insurance carrier refuses to cover your medical care or pay your lost wages) a hearing …
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8 Things to Know If You Are Going to a Workers Compensation Hearing
Posted by Michele Lewane | Claim Denied - Now What?, Hiring A Lawyer, Injured Workers Law Firm, Workers' Compensation Benefits
You will need to be present at the workers compensation hearing. In most cases, the Deputy Commissioner who will be hearing your case will want to hear your testimony in person about how your injury occurred and what took place following your injury. The defense attorney is not your friend. The defense attorney (attorney for the workers’ …
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