Chiropractic for Workers Comp Injuries | Infographic

Chiropractic for Workers’ Comp Injuries

Many employers and employees alike harbor misconceptions when it comes to chiropractic care and medical treatment for workers’ compensation. If you’re an employee who has recently suffered an injury in the workplace, you may wonder what your options are in terms of chiropractic care. Here is what you should know about workers comp injuries.

Chiropractic for Workers’ Compensation Injuries Infographic

What Is Workers’ Comp Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractors practice a type of alternative medicine primarily focused on diagnosing and treating mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine. Chiropractors are different from doctors because they do not perform surgical interventions. Most jurisdictions prohibit chiropractors from prescribing medication, a practice permitted for medical doctors.

Think of chiropractic care as a healing art, similar to massage and acupuncture, offering a non-surgical, medication-free path to recovery.. The main medical service offered by workers’ comp chiropractors is spinal manipulation. However, there are other medical services that fall under the category of workers’ comp chiropractic care as well.

Can I See a Chiropractor While Receiving Workers’ Compensation?

In short: Yes, you are entitled to chiropractor visits if you are receiving workers’ comp benefits.

If you’re like most people, you will feel a huge sense of relief once you start receiving your workers’ compensation checks. Once you start receiving some income, you should focus on recovery. Be sure that you’re doing everything in your power to recover in terms of your health and well-being.

A common question that many clients have is whether they are permitted to visit a chiropractor while receiving workers’ compensation benefits. These clients often mistakenly believe that the Industrial Commission will frown on them seeing a chiropractor because they are not M.D.s. However, this is not the case.

You can see a chiropractic doctor and receive workers’ compensation at the same time. In fact, if your employer gives you permission to seek medical treatment, you are actually entitled to visits with a chiropractor. You can visit a workers’ comp chiropractor for 24 treatments or 12 weeks from the date of your first visit with a chiropractor provided by the insurance carrier, whichever happens first.

If you still need treatment after visiting a chiropractor 24 times, it is possible that your visits will continue to be covered. Your chiropractor can request authorization from your employer for the extra visits. In some cases, a carrier will authorize more care beyond the first 24 treatments or 12 weeks. The initial limitation on the number of visits with a chiropractor does not apply to workers who suffered catastrophic injuries, such as those resulting in blindness, severe burns, spinal cord paralysis, or amputation of an extremity.

Although your employer doesn’t have to authorize extra visits, the law requires them to allow at least 24 chiropractic visits. If your employer tries to stop your chiropractic care, contact your lawyer immediately to address the issue.

Expected Number of Visits for Workers’ Comp Chiropractic

Every single injury is different and it is common for medical complications to arise suddenly. However, if you decide to see a workers’ comp chiropractor, you should work with them during your initial visit to come up with a plan for your expected number of visits.

In general, workers’ comp patients will see a chiropractor twice a week. One month of treatment is equivalent to about 8 to 10 visits. Two months of treatment is equivalent to about 15 to 20 visits. Three months of treatment is equivalent to about 22 to 28 visits.

After establishing a treatment plan for your workers’ compensation chiropractic care, seek approval from the workers’ compensation insurance carrier. An independent medical evaluation may be necessary during the authorization process.

What to Expect from Your Employer

It is important that employers take a proactive approach when it comes to chiropractic care for employees receiving workers’ compensation. Here are some things you can expect your employer to do:

  • Confirm the duration of the expected chiropractic care
  • Confirm the frequency of the treatment
  • Identify the body part(s) that will be treated with chiropractic care
  • Make sure that the treatment is not for a medical issue that existed before the work-related injury
  • Verify the work restrictions imposed by the chiropractor and advise the chiropractor of the duty work available to employees within the work restrictions

In addition, there are some instances when a case manager, employer, or claims professional may interfere with the chiropractic care that you’re receiving, such as when:

  • You do not show signs of major improvement after the first month of chiropractic care
  • The frequency of chiropractic visits does not taper off after a few months
  • The medical treatment reports are not reflective of consistent progress in terms of injury recovery
  • The number of visits increases or the chiropractic care attendance becomes inconsistent

When you’re receiving chiropractic care for a workers’ comp injury (or an auto accident injury) it’s crucial that you keep up with your treatment plan. This approach maximizes your chances of a full recovery and increases the likelihood of your workers’ comp provider covering extended chiropractic care, should you need it.

Visit a Workers’ Comp Chiropractor

There are many misconceptions surrounding workers’ comp chiropractic. If you recently suffered an on-the-job injury, it is important that you remain well-informed about your options and get the care you need to make a full recovery. For more information about workers’ compensation and chiropractic care, or to start your recovery process, visit our intake page to schedule an appointment or call your local injury doctor. We have offices conveniently located across Central Florida, from Tampa to Daytona Beach.

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