No matter how careful you and your coworkers are, accidents happen more often than you may think. Every year, there are roughly 340 million occupational accidents and 160 million victims of work-related illnesses.
Whether you slipped and fell, took a blow to the head, or inhaled a toxic chemical, all workplace injuries require immediate medical and legal attention.
Our team at Somers Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine Group knows how overwhelming it can be when you’re thrown into the whirlwind that is worker’s compensation. So, we’re here to give you expert advice on preparing for your medical exam and making it as efficient as possible.
Your injury is the main focus of your workers’ compensation appointment — we want to know every detail. Giving us as much information about what happened when you got hurt is crucial to your treatment and legal proceedings.
In addition to the specifics of your injury, be sure to include details, such as:
You may consider bringing a coworker who witnessed your accident if you feel it’ll help provide details you can’t remember.
We also want to know what’s gone on with your health in the past. Come ready to talk about all your pre-existing injuries, allergies, and health conditions, as well as any prescriptions, supplements, or treatments you’re taking or have taken. Take notes of your family’s health history, too.
We may discuss your alcohol consumption and substance use if pertinent to your accident.
Your worker’s compensation case is equal parts medical and legal, which means one thing: paperwork. Ensure you bring any insurance forms, questionnaires, and/or documents you must sign for your employee, attorney, or insurance representative.
If you’re unsure if you need a certain form, bring it just in case. It’s better to arrive with more than you need than show up with something missing.
Your appointment begins with a basic physical exam, where we check your vitals and get a baseline for your health. Then, we discuss your medical history before reviewing the incident that brought you in.
We order imaging and other diagnostic tests to understand the extent of your injury better. Because we have all the necessary diagnostic tools in our office, we can often give you an answer about your injury the same day.
From there, we create a treatment plan focused on helping you heal and getting you back to work as quickly and safely as possible. Depending on your needs, we may recommend:
Should you require surgery, we can perform minimally invasive, arthroscopic procedures to repair damage in your knees, hands, wrist, elbows, shoulders, hips, feet, ankles, and spine.
Still have questions about your upcoming appointment? Our friendly staff is standing by to answer all your questions. Call or click to get in touch with one of our team members today.
