Returning To Work On Light Duty Status
Posted by Injured Workers Law Firm | Returning To Work, Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor, Working With The Adjuster/Nurse Case Manager
What It Means When Your Doctor Releases You for “Light Duty” After a Work Injury A work injury prescribed for light duty means you can go back to work. Whether your former employer will make a job available for you may be an issue, and you might want a Richmond Workers’ Compensation attorney to investigate …
I Just Had My Functional Capacity Exam, Is My Claim Over?
Posted by Michele Lewane | Returning To Work, Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor, Working With The Adjuster/Nurse Case Manager
Not at all! The Functional Capacity Exam (FCE) is an exam where a physical therapist has you do a series of movements and measures your strength and range of motion. This usually means that you have reached a medical plateau and the doctor does not expect any more significant improvement. This DOES NOT mean that …
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What is a Functional Capacity Exam?
Posted by Michele Lewane | Returning To Work, Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor, Working With The Adjuster/Nurse Case Manager
In some Virginia Workers’ Compensation claim, when appropriate, you may be sent for a Functional Capacity Exam. Not every injured worker will need an FCE but if your doctor or if the insurance company has mentioned this term on, you need to read the rest of this post – and make sure you consult a …
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
Posted by Michele Lewane | Types of Injuries and Illnesses, Working With A Doctor
The sad truth is that surgery is not a 100% guarantee to a full recovery after a back injury. Sometimes, injured workers have surgery and don’t get any relief from their pain and/or their physical limitations. Sometimes, they get even worse! It is very sad but medicine is not always an exact science, especially when …
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 …
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 …
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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Keeping Your Medical Benefits ACTIVE!!
Posted by Michele Lewane | Workers' Compensation Benefits, Working With A Doctor
Having an Award Order for lifetime medical benefits through the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission is only part of the struggle in the Virginia workers’ compensation process. Once the Commission awards you your benefits, it is up to you to keep them active. I tell people all the time to keep their benefits active because if …