English 
Spanish You should know what things to ask your doctor following a workplace injury in Glendale. For example, you should ask about your diagnosis and whether your condition could affect your working ability. Such questions can help you get compensated fairly and navigate the process ahead.
If you want to learn about your legal rights and options, contact us today at KJT Law Group. We can help you seek benefits and advocate for what you deserve.
What’s My Diagnosis?
Understanding your diagnosis following an on-the-job injury is vital to your case’s outcome. To diagnose your condition, your doctor may:
- Order x-rays and other imaging scans
- Review your medical records
- Evaluate your symptoms
- Palpitate the problem areas
- Ask questions about your pain levels and accident’s cause
After suffering a workplace accident, you should notify your employer. They’ll refer you to a doctor in their insurer’s network who can assess your condition. If you see your own doctor without approval, you could have to pay those co-pays out of pocket. Yet, if you required emergency medical attention, however, you can visit a hospital.
Can I Get Copies of My Recent Medical Records?
To assert that you suffered a job-related injury, the liable insurer may ask for copies of your medical records. These documents will include:
- Your personal information, including your date of birth, contact information, and demographics
- The surgeries you’ve undergone
- The medications you’ve been prescribed
- Whether you’ve had any vaccines
- Your allergies
These items will give the insurance company the full story about your accident, injuries, and possible treatment options.
Can I Continue Working?
Per the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), if you cannot work due to a work-related injury, you’re entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Your doctor can listen to your job’s duties and explain whether continuing to work would affect your condition.
This is a very important facet of your case. If your doctor notes that you cannot work due to your condition, you can start receiving benefits. If they say that you can work, however, you could receive compensation for your medical bills but not for your lost income.
When Can I Return to Work?
You need to know the answer to this question so you can plan for the future. If you’re out of work for a few weeks, you can receive two-thirds of your average weekly income while you recover. If you’re out of work indefinitely, then you may qualify for disability payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA). You could receive these benefits until you can return to work or pass away.
Can I Expect Further Health Issues?
Your doctor might clear you for light duty, meaning that you can still work but in an altered or limited capacity. That doesn’t mean you have fully recovered from your condition. You may deal with residual impairments that affect your working ability, such as:
- Chronic pain
- A limited range of motion
- Muscle weakness and numbness
- Atrophy
- The loss of one or more senses
- Problems with balance and coordination
- Cognitive impairments (such as issues with memory)
- Scarring and disfigurement
What Treatment Options Do I Have?
Your treatment options will affect your working ability, free time, and overall well-being. After diagnosing your condition, your doctor will explain your treatment options which, depending on your situation, may include:
- Skin grafts
- Bone-setting
- Prescription medications
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Immobilization
Your doctor will monitor your progress and approve you for work if and when you reach maximum medical improvement.
Questions You Can Ask a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Glendale
You have the right to partner with a workers’ compensation lawyer if you suffered an on-the-job injury and want to pursue damages. However, you may have many questions about working with a lawyer, including how they can support you during this difficult time.
Some of your questions may include:
- What damages and/or benefits can I claim?
- How can I prove my case?
- Can I file a third-party claim?
- How can you prove liability?
- Can I negotiate for a higher settlement?
- Should I sue for my compensation?
- How long does securing damages take?
Your lawyer can manage every aspect of your case, so you can focus on other matters. Additionally, your lawyer can ask your doctor other questions that may benefit your case.
A Lawyer Can Do More Than File Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
Suffering a workplace injury can affect your life in more ways than one. Yet, workers’ compensation won’t cover all of your losses. For instance, it won’t offer reimbursement for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages. However, if another party’s negligence led to your accident, you could seek workers’ compensation benefits in addition to a personal injury claim.
Through an insurance claim or lawsuit, the negligent party could owe you:
- Compensation for the full cost of your lost income (not two-thirds; all of it)
- Medical costs
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Property damage costs (if applicable)
- Anything you spent out of pocket
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, meaning you don’t have to prove negligence to recover damages. Personal injury cases are a different story. Here, you must prove that because another party acted negligently, you suffered an injury at work. A lawyer can prove your case’s required elements and seek what you deserve.
Learn More About Your Options During a Free Consultation
To learn more about what to ask your doctor (and to speak with a member of our legal team), you can contact us at KJT Law Group. We’ll tell you more about our personal injury lawyers in Glendale, CA, and how one of them can work toward a fair payout for you. We’ve recovered millions for our clients, so you can be confident in us.
To speak with KJT Law Group for free, call us today at (818) 507-8525.
