5 Essential Steps To Take After a Slip-and-Fall Accident
If you have a slip-and-fall accident, there are five steps you should take immediately afterward, no matter where you fall. Here’s what you need to know.
Accidents and illnesses happen. They’re part of life. But when they happen while you’re on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation.
Every state, though, has its own specific rules, regulations, and insurance carriers, making it difficult sometimes to navigate the system and deal with all the red tape included in a workers’ comp claim.
That’s why you should see a doctor who specializes in handling such cases. If you live in or around Pompano Beach, Florida, that doctor is Patrick Brennan, DO, of Coastal Pain Medicine.
Board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, as well as in pain medicine, Dr. Brennan knows the ins and outs of the system and even has a dedicated department to work with you on the claim itself. Here’s what you need to know.
Workers' compensation is an insurance policy that business owners carry to provide benefits to employees who suffer a work-related injury or illness. Those benefits cover medical care, lost wages from time off work, and more.
In Florida, if you suffer a workplace injury or illness, you must report the problem to your employer within 30 days of the incident or risk losing possible benefits.
Your employer contacts their insurance company to let them know about the incident. The insurance company then sends you information about your rights and responsibilities. They also provide information about the state’s workers' compensation law and what procedures you need to follow.
Some employers or insurance companies want you to see one of their approved doctors for your evaluation, but many allow you to go to the physician of your choice. It’s important that you see a doctor who specializes in handling workers’ comp cases.
Not every physician has the expertise to work within the state’s and insurance company’s guidelines, or the patience or stamina to deal with endless bureaucratic red tape. At Coastal Pain Medicine, we have all of the right qualifications.
If you’ve notified your employer and found out you can see your own doctor, you may wonder: What about all the paperwork? Don’t worry. We complete Florida’s form DFS-F5-DWC-25 on your behalf. This form:
Once the insurance company signs off on the treatment plan, it covers all your medical costs related to the claim.
Because Coastal Pain Medicine is staffed with interventional pain medicine providers, we’re uniquely positioned to understand both your acute or repetitive stress injury and how it differs from degenerative conditions unrelated to the accident.
To help you heal, we provide a range of minimally invasive procedures and complementary treatments, all targeted to relieve your pain and manage any incurred disability
And not only do we file the requisite paperwork for you, we follow through. We have an exclusive claims department on site, and we regularly deal with employers, claims adjusters, nurse case managers, and attorneys, so we know what we need to do to get things resolved.
We guarantee you’ll have an initial assessment within three days after your initial call, and we deliver a 24-hour turnaround on both the DWC-25 and the physician’s patient care notes. It’s our goal to find a permanent solution that allows you to achieve MMI as fast as possible, so you can return to work and your normal life.
If you’ve been hurt on the job, we can help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Brennan. Our dedicated claims manager will guide you through the entire process.
