Unhappy with your workers’ comp doctor?
You have options. Make sure you’ve got a copy of the panel of doctors that was on display on your date of accident. You can request a change of physicians from this panel.
Also, the panel may not be valid. Check to make sure all the addresses and phone numbers are correct for the doctors listed. Are there six doctors? There are supposed to be. Are any of the doctors associated with one another? Are more than two of them industrial clinics? Is it missing an orthopedic surgeon? A “yes” to one of these three questions may also invalidate a panel, meaning you can choose your own doctor to see for your accepted workers’ compensation claim in Georgia.
If the panel is valid, and you’re getting disability benefits, you may also request an independent medical exam (IME) at the insurance company’s expense. The request needs to be within 120 days of the receipt of disability benefits, and the doctor needs to be within 50 miles of your home. Just give written notice of your wish to use this “one time” option for an IME.
