Your workers’ compensation doctor can make a big difference to your workers’ compensation benefits claim. The workers’ comp doctor will diagnose your injury or illness, design a comprehensive treatment plan, tell you how long you wouldn’t be able to work, and how your injury may affect you during treatment and later.

Since the work comp doctor’s opinion is so vital to your case, your doctor must have complete and accurate information. As an injured worker, you want to get the right treatment you need to get back to as normal as possible and as soon as possible. On the other hand, the insurance company may ask for conservative opinions that may not address all of your medical needs. They may also want to send you back to work early.

This is why what you say to your doctor will greatly affect your work comp claim and it is critical to choose your words carefully.

What you shouldn’t tell your Workers’ Comp Doctor

Even if you are getting a second opinion, never say the following to your workers’ comp doctor.

• Lying about your previous injuries or pre-existing medical conditions or other ongoing treatments
• Lying about the extent of your work injury or how it happened
• Exaggerating your symptoms, pain or function
• Delaying medical treatment (delays can worsen your condition and reduce your chances of complete recovery)
• Stopping treatment before full recovery
• Lying to the work comp doctor or the employer’s insurance company, whether through lying about your symptoms. Remember that your medical records include a full medical history, so lying will make you look untrustworthy and can jeopardize your claim. And your work comp doctor may not be able to give you proper medical care if they cannot trust what you are saying.

Your ultimate goal is to get back to work as normal as possible. And to get the benefits to cover your medical treatment and lost wages. Being completely honest with your treating physician and getting the right medical care will help you achieve that goal.

What You Should Say to your Workers’ Compensation Doctor

Being dishonest with your doctor puts you at risk of delaying your weekly payments for your work-related injury. In some cases, the medical treatment may even be denied.

If there is a dispute which is being decided by a workers’ compensation judge, he or she will take your credibility into account when deciding your case. If your medical records show that you are lying about previous conditions or it seems like you are exaggerating your symptoms, the judge is less likely to decide in your favor.

On the other hand, it is very important that you tell your doctor about all of your symptoms, pain, limitations and your work-related injury as accurately as possible.

If you have suffered a work-related or personal injury, consult the best personal injury and work comp doctors in Phoenix, AZ, at Arizona Injury Medical Associates at 480-347-0941 right away.