Dealing with a work-related injury can be incredibly daunting. If you have been hurt on-the-job, you need to reach out to an experienced Massachusetts workers’ compensation attorney who understands how to protect the rights of workers. With over two decades of combined experience, we are committed to asserting your rights to receiving the benefits you deserve, including medical care. We are here to answer your questions and address your concerns every step of the way.
Injuries Covered by Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation
Workers who are injured or become ill as a result of an accident or incident within the course and scope of employment may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. For example, if a delivery worker gets into an auto accident and sustains injuries while on the way to drop off a package, that worker may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, including medical benefits to treat his or her injuries.
Medical Benefits: What’s Covered?
The Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Act provides benefits for the payment of medical costs incurred as a result of a work-related injury or illness. The insurance pays for any tests, procedures and prescription drugs that are “reasonable and necessary” and “causally related” to the work injury. This obligation continues as long as treatment is necessary and may even extend over the course of the worker’s life. Medical benefits may include the following:
- Hospitalization;
- Prescription medication;
- Surgical procedures;
- Therapy;
- Travel to and from treatment.
It is important to note that workers’ compensation does not replace health insurance but, rather, supplements it by becoming the primary source of payment for any treatment related to the particular work injury or illness. For all other medical concerns, the worker’s health insurance remains the primary source of payment. In short, workers’ compensation benefits only cover workplace injuries and conditions.
The Process of Seeking Medical Benefits
You should be aware that the workers’ compensation insurer will not automatically pay for these medical benefits. If your employer has a preferred provider agreement, the employer is required to provide a list of names of all approved healthcare providers in the geographic area after an on-the-job injury. You must go to one of the doctors on the list for the initial assessment of your workplace injury. You can then seek the medical opinion of a second medical professional of your choice after that. If that is not satisfactory to you, you can see a third medical professional practicing the same specialty, although the visit to the third doctor has to be pre-approved by your workers’ compensation insurance provider.
Skilled Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Attorney
If you or someone close to you has been injured on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. At The Law Offices of Barry Feinstein & Affiliates P.C. , our hard-working and skilled Massachusetts workers’ compensation attorneys have over 25 years of combined experience in handling these types of claims and can apply our knowledge to use in your case. To discuss your workers’ compensation injury and potential benefits today, call us at 1-800-262-9200 or contact us online.
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