This post will touch on how crucial it is for an injured worker to keep a record of all treatment costs. Recent IMR(Independent Medical Review) decisions that support medical treatment requests show the importance of the treating doctor to justify and explain the neglected treatment. IMR handles appeals of denial of medical treatment outside of the court. Transportation costs were approved in one case for a 54-year old worker who suffered from chronic lower back, knee, ankle, and shoulder pain and also missed office visits due to a lack of transportation. She also had limits on the amount she could stand and walk due to her work injury as well as other functional problems like an altered gait which prevented the use of public transportation. The treating doctor was able to document the functional deficits limiting public transportation and self-transport.
Another case involved a 61-year old worker who had significant injuries to his spine, head, and shoulder and was in need of the level of care that a nursing home provides, in order to help him with his activities of daily living. Providing proof of financial loss incurred from being injured as well as recording all correspondence with treating doctors will lessen the stress it might take to receive back compensation. In short, always have your treating doctor document the reasons for medical transportation when submitting the request for medical treatment.
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