Most people believe that if they are hurt at work, they must go to the Workman’s Comp Doctor that their employer sends them to. This is not true! Like any good, free American, you can choose the Doctor you want to see, so long as they are registered with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. But unfortunately, not all Workman’s Comp doctors are created equal.
Some Workman’s Comp Doctors are – and there is no other way to say this delicately – ‘on the take’ and beholden to the people who pay them. In other words: they work for your employer, not for you. They are paid handsomely to get you back to work as quickly as possible, with very little thought about what’s actually best for you and your recovery.
As a result, injured workers are often rushed through the bare minimum ‘treatment’ with little to no aftercare, then cleared for work in record time. Misdiagnosis, under-diagnosis and minimal treatment plans are extremely common. Rushing people back to work when they have not fully healed is also very common.
Ohio law DOES provide you the opportunity to get a second opinion if you are not satisfied with the treatment your authorized treating physician is giving you.
Maybe you feel that the doctor is siding with the insurance company rather than listening to your concerns. Perhaps you’re simply not getting any better, despite lengthy treatment. Alternatively, you might think that your doctor’s recommendations are too aggressive and you’d like to see if a gentler approach would be effective.
Whatever your reasons for considering seeking an alternate medical opinion, you are entitled to seek the right treatment, and the right in-network physician, for you.
What should I do if I feel I have been misdiagnosed or improperly treated?
Get a second opinion!
It costs you nothing at all, other than the time it takes to come into the office. Our dedicated Workman’s Comp team will help you with all the paperwork needed to get a second opinion from our Workers’ Compensation Doctors.
My doctor says i’m ready to go back to work, even though I’m not back to 100%. What should I do?
Get a second opinion!
There are no two ways to look at this: if you rush back to work without being fully healed, you can PERMANENTLY damage your body. If you are young and sprightly, this may not seem like such a big deal. But when you are old and creaky, you will feel the neglect you have put your body through. Don’t make it worse by rushing back to work, just because an unscrupulous doctor wants to keep your employer on their good side.
Here at Dayton Orthopedic Surgery, we work for you, not your employer. Our first, last and ONLY concern is getting you healed properly. Our Head Surgeon, Dr Jonathan Paley, has treated thousands of Workman’s Comp patients over his long and decorated career. He has been called as an expert witness in countless BWC hearings, and is intimately familiar with the inner-workings of the workman’s comp system. He will guide you through the process and help you with the appropriate documentation for your work-related injuries.
Dr Paley is committed to a high standard of ethical and medical care. He will provide you with an updated work status report for you to provide your employer. He also provides a detailed report of your visit to your worker’s compensation insurance carrier and primary care physician in a timely manner. For your convenience, if you authorize Dr Paley to do so, he will forward all the necessary documentation to your attorney.
Don’t trust your future health, earning capabilities and family’s security to some random strip mall doctor who is paid by your employer. GET A SECOND OPINION.