Your workers’ comp paperwork says you suffered a back strain. The doctor later finds a fractured vertebra, or a broken bone in your spine. That difference can affect what the insurer considers part of your accepted claim and whether disputes arise over your treatment.
In Pennsylvania, a Notice of Compensation Payable, or NCP, identifies the condition the employer or insurer has accepted as work-related. If the description does not match the condition your doctor identified, disputes may arise over whether treatment for another condition belongs to the accepted claim.
What does the injury description on your NCP mean?
An NCP identifies the body part you injured, the type of injury and a brief description of how it happened. Those details help define what the insurer has accepted as work-related.
If the NCP lists only a lower-back strain but your medical records later show a fracture, the insurer may question whether treatment for the fracture is connected to the workplace injury.
What problems can an incomplete description cause?
An inaccurate injury description can create problems when you need treatment or when the insurer reviews the claim. Disputes may involve:
- Whether additional treatment relates to what the insurer accepted
- Whether a new condition your doctor later identifies resulted from the workplace incident
- Whether the claim paperwork reflects your current diagnosis
Keeping copies of your NCP and medical records can help you spot differences early, before they create additional disputes over your claim.
How can you correct the injury description?
A Pennsylvania workers’ compensation judge can correct an NCP that contains an important error. You may use a Review Petition to ask the judge to correct or expand the injury description. Medical records or a doctor’s opinion can help connect another condition to what happened at work.
Address an inaccurate injury description early
You may still be able to correct an inaccurate injury description. Compare the accepted injury with your medical records and pay attention to any missing diagnoses or body parts. If something does not match, a workers’ compensation attorney can help determine whether a Review Petition may be appropriate and what medical evidence could support the correction.