People often feel vulnerable seeking medical care under the best of circumstances. Suffering an injury at work may incur an extra layer of stress to the situation. The good news, the system is designed to provide medical care for injured workers based on doctor availability. After all, it’s in the best interest of employers for injured workers to fully recover and return to work.

What kind of medical care does workers’ compensation provide?

The State of California Department of Industrial Relations provides thorough guidelines on their website. These guidelines require doctors to provide evidence-based treatment. Treatment courses are laid out in detail for specific injuries. California provides a Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS) with specific procedures adopted from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine’s (ACOEM) Practice Guidelines. These guidelines are routinely reviewed and modified based on new medical evidence.

Utilization Review (UR) within each Workers’ Compensation insurance company and/or Third Party Administrator to make sure the treatment workers receive is medically appropriate pursuant to MTUS guidelines. You can read more about utilization review in this article.

How soon can I begin receiving medical care?

Submit your claim as soon as possible. The claims administrator is required to authorize medical treatment within one working day after you file your claim with your employer. Even if your claim is being processed, you are entitled to begin medical treatment while you wait for a decision about your claim.

What else should I know about medical treatment?

Chapter 3 of the Workers’ Compensation Guidebook provides extensive details, such as when you can pursue treatment with your regular doctor, and other concerns workers may have about the process. If you have additional questions or would like an attorney to advocate on your behalf in your workers’ compensation case, please fill out our intake form for a free consultation.