Now that is attention grabber. But the more people I meet, the more I believe it when it comes to Nebraska work injuries. Insurance companies are intent on controlling your health care – at your expense.
Under Nebraska law, injured workers have the right to choose a doctor to treat their injuries. However, the doctor chosen must have seen the employee or an immediate family member before the accident. Otherwise, the employer may have the right to select the physician. Even if an employee has an eligible family physician, many times employers will persuade or even intimidate injured employees to waive this right and treat with a company-selected doctor. NEVER waive this right.
I speak to someone almost daily who unknowingly has waived this right and agreed to treat with a doctor chosen by the employer/insurance company. Companies pick these physicians for a reason. Company/insurance friendly doctors generally are more conservative in treatment and when ordering testing. For example, if an employee suffers a low back injury, depending upon the circumstances, a family physician may order an MRI to further investigate the nature of the injury and determine if a disc is damaged or ruptured. However MRI’s cost money (about $2,000.00). Insurance companies do not like shelling out $2,000.00 for MRI’s. On the other hand a conservative company doctor may elect to save the insurance company money and not order the test. It happens all the time. Sometimes employees treat with company doctors for several months – even years without a second opinion. It can be very frustrating for all parties involved and can even create problems recovering from a serious work injury.
Once again, never allow the employer or insurance company to pick your doctor. This a red flag.
Call or email our office for a free consultation. There is no obligation and it may be the best call you ever make.
