Workers’ compensation checks are vital for millions of people across the country. These are individuals who are receiving compensation after sustaining a serious injury while on the job, as they are no longer able to provide for themselves and their families in the same way that they used to. Losing access to these wage benefits may be disastrous.
There are certain things that can put your workers’ compensation benefits at risk. You must be mindful of the procedures and stipulations that are part of the workers’ compensation system, so as to avoid any issues.
Medical issues
Insurance companies may demand that you take a recurring medical examination. This proves that you are indeed unable to work. If you refuse to comply, or if you reject certain medical services that someone else in your position might need, your employer’s insurance company can use that as evidence of you being sufficiently healthy enough to return to work. This has the potential to become a legal issue, making it important to abide by all your doctor’s recommended treatments.
Criminal conviction
Workers’ compensation largely requires that you stay out of trouble with the law. You will automatically lose all of your wage benefits if you receive a criminal conviction and spend time incarcerated.
Conflicting reports
There are some cases in which multiple doctors will have different opinions on your medical situation. Your employer is able to request that you receive a second professional opinion. The insurance company must then judge which of the two diagnoses is more valid if the second doctor issues a conflicting report.
Your employer’s insurance company is able to modify or eliminate your workers’ comp benefits, depending on how much the second doctor negates the opinion of the first. The insurance company may also consider both medical opinions valid, at which point it will seek out a third expert. The third doctor serves as a tiebreaker of sorts.