Here are three tips for winning your worker's compensation case:
- Get ALL of the medical records regarding your treatment. When you leave the doctor's office, if they give you any records, it is not all the records. So collect ALL the records, and in particular, ask for the billing records with including the Physician's Report forms. If the provider used the Alaska Workers Compensation Board's Physician Report forms, there is a box on it they will check to describe your injury and whether it is work-related. You need to know what your doctors said. Get a copy of all the x-ray, MRI and any other diagnostic reports. Get a copy of the actual films on a CD. Get a copy of your physical therapy notes.
- Read ALL the medical records. Make sure you understand what your doctor, and the insurance doctor, are saying about whether your injury is work-related, whether you are disabled or can work light duty or part-time and what your recommended treatment is.
- File ALL the medical records with the Alaska Workers Compensation Board attached to a wc6103 - Medical Summary form. Here is a sample of how to fill out the medical summary: wc6103 - Medical Summary sample. DO NOT trust the insurance company to do it. In almost every case I do, I send the insurance company a complete set of medical records and then, when they file their set, they leave out some of the records.
Bonus tip: Call an experienced workers compensation attorney to have your case evaluated. The sooner, the better. Even if the insurance company is treating you fairly now, you need to know what to look out for and how to protect yourself in case they don't later on.
Keenan Powell has practiced law in Alaska for more than 30 years and has dedicated her practice to Workers Compensation representing injured Alaskans.
All consultations are free. If you want to set up a meeting, use the contact form on www.keenanpowell.com or call: 907 258 7663.
