One of the first steps that happens for an injured worker in California is to undergo a medical evaluation. But as the pandemic has dragged on, injured workers in California have waited sometimes as long as months or years to get the medical evaluations needed. These evaluations might be needed to get appropriate treatment but even to determine how disabled you are as a result of the injury, which can of course have impacts on your ability to recover compensation through the workers’ comp system.
A 2020 audit of the California Division of Workers’ Compensation found that the state has not increased the pay schedule for doctors performing these evaluations in 13 years. The auditor’s research found that the division of workers’ comp failed to address the overall shortage of medical experts as well.
While there were 2,800 medical evaluators available for use in 2017 and 2018, there were 100,000 new requests for medical evaluations that same year. This can cause significant problems for you to get your medical evaluation process and to help protect your rights as you move forward with a workers’ comp claim.
One of the best ways to support yourself during this difficult situation is to work directly with an experienced estate planning attorney who has a great deal of experience in this area. Having an attorney at your side can help you to make adjustments as needed and to continue with your medical treatment.
Contact a San Francisco workers’ comp lawyer for more help working through your own claim and to protect your right to compensation.