How Medical Restrictions Can Impact Workers’ Comp Claims

Being hurt on the job in Illinois can have a serious, negative effect on your life. But most employers in the state must provide workers’ compensation insurance, so it is possible to keep your head financially above water as you recover. But how can medical restrictions affect your workers’ comp claim? Find out the answer in this article, and contact our Antioch workers’ compensation lawyers if you have case-specific questions. Attorney Robert T. Edens will review the matter and tell you if an attorney could benefit your situation.

What Are Medical Restrictions In A Workers’ Comp Case?

Medical restrictions, also known as work restrictions, can affect the work you can and cannot do because of your job-related injury. The treating physician may or may not restrict your medical work during your recovery. For example, if you sprained your back in the warehouse lifting a heavy box, you could be put on medical restrictions for six weeks to have a desk-only duty so your back can heal. However, medical restrictions can also be permanent if the injury is serious enough.

The Importance Of Doctor’s Recommendations In A Workers’ Comp Case

If you are hurt at work in Illinois, you must be examined by a doctor to check and evaluate your injuries. You could be seen by the employer-recommended doctor, who may tell you that you can still do light-duty work as you recover. However, you have the right to see your doctor under the law; perhaps your doctor disagrees. He could say that your medical restrictions will prevent you from working until you fully recover.

If there is this type of discrepancy in your case, you could be required to go to a hearing to explain why you are not doing the light-duty work. Informing the judge that you do not want to do the job or it does not pay enough are not valid reasons to decline. Instead, you could explain to the court that you cannot physically do the job based on what your doctor told you. The court will weigh the evidence and decide if your medical restrictions prevent you from working or not during your recovery.

This is just one of the ways that medical restrictions can impact your Illinois workers’ compensation case. If there is any disagreement about your medical restrictions, retaining an experienced workers’ compensation attorney in Antioch is critical. Your attorney can represent you in any hearing and obtain the optimal case outcome.

Talk To Our Antioch Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Now

Were you hurt at work in Antioch? Then you could be entitled to workers’ compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages as you recover. However, the workers’ compensation claims system is complex, and making a mistake that affects your benefits is easy. Or, your employer might see an attorney who does not represent you and try to deny your claim or give you less than they should. Our Antioch workers’ compensation lawyers at The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens have stood up for the rights of Illinois workers for decades, and we want to stand up for yours. Talk to one of our workers’ comp attorneys by dialing (847) 395-2200.