For many people in Virginia, few things are worse than a workplace injury. With almost 80% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, even a temporary loss of pay or a sudden increase in medical bills could spell disaster. Not only does a workplace injury take you away from work, it may also cause you to incur additional expenses. Under Virginia law, you may be entitled to workers? compensation medical benefits if you get hurt while on the job. Working with an attorney can help you secure these benefits without delay or dispute.

Schedule a free consultation with Lugar Law PC now. Call us at 540-384-0348 or fill out our contact form to get started.

Working With an Attorney to Secure Medical Benefits for Injured Workers

The Virginia Workers? Compensation Commission is very clear about the benefits that injured workers may be entitled to. They note that employers may have to pay for all expenses related to medical treatment, including doctors? visits, hospitalization, physical therapy, medications, and tests, as long as they are associated with a compensable claim.

As simple as workers? compensation sounds, it becomes much more complicated when you add workers? compensation insurance companies (the defendants) into the mix. While employees are entitled to benefits under Virginia law for a compensable workplace injury, that certainly doesn?t mean that insurance companies pay out willingly and without delay. In many cases, workers? compensation insurance companies use different tactics to try to prevent workers from pursuing valid claims or try to limit the type or amount of medical care a worker receives.

The company?s insurance company might choose to investigate your claim as potentially fraudulent. This is often enough to frighten injured workers into recanting their report and suffering through their injuries without medical care. The company might also dispute the type of medical care you receive. Adjusters may try to deny payments, claiming that the treatment is excessive or unnecessary for your type of injury.

Trying to handle these disputes and the pile of paperwork that comes with each one quickly becomes too stressful and overwhelming for workers. It is common for employees to fall behind on paperwork and miss deadlines or give up entirely. When the insurance company successfully uses these tactics, they spend less money and workers handle the fallout of their injuries on their own.

At Lugar Law, we have encountered these tactics and how to respond to ensure an injured worker receives the compensation they deserve and are entitled to ? medical bills paid, lost wages compensated, permanent damage compensated, and mileage, etc. We believe that you deserve full access to workers? compensation benefits after a workplace injury and we will fight for those rights. You don?t have to worry about communicating with your employer or their workers? compensation insurance provider. You can focus on resting and healing from your workplace injury.

Types of Medical Expenses Covered by Workers? Compensation

Virginia law states that employers or their insurance companies must cover a wide range of potential expenses for injured employees. They should pay for all initial care related to your injury. This includes the first trip you make to the doctor?s office or emergency room after you?ve been hurt. When you go, make sure that you tell them you are being seen for a workplace injury. You do not want to incur medical bills under your name and your health insurance.

Workers? compensation medical benefits do not stop after the initial treatment you receive. The defendant should continue to pay for all medical treatment related to your injury. This includes long-term treatment options like physical therapy and/or pain management. Workers who suffer serious damage may experience a partial or full loss of mobility, and either physical or occupational therapy can be used to help injured individuals regain their mobility and their independence. Workers? compensation medical benefits cover this type of treatment.

As you recover from your injury, you may also take medications to reduce the risk of infection, manage pain, or handle other side effects. Workers? compensation should pay for this as work-related medical treatment. In some situations, insurance companies try to limit payment for pain medications, arguing that they are unnecessary. You do not deserve to be in pain after a workplace injury simply because the company does not want to pay. We can help you get the coverage you need.

If you need recovery aids or prostheses, these items are also covered by workers? compensation medical benefits.

In addition to other medical bills and expenses, workers? compensation should pay for travel to and from doctors? appointments. To get this reimbursement, plan on tracking mileage when traveling to and from any work-related medical appointments.

Turn to Lugar Law PC for Help With Your Workers? Compensation Claim

At Lugar Law PC, we strive to make sure each and every client gets the workers? compensation medical benefits they deserve, as well as all other entitlements allowable under the Workers Compensation Act. We know that you may have an uphill battle ahead of you, and we are here for every step of it. From filing your initial injury report and gathering medical evidence to proving the severity and cause of your injury, to working with or responding to workers? compensation insurance adjusters, we do everything in our power to ensure that you are treated fairly and that you receive the required medical treatment.
