Injured on the Job?

 Know your Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation rights!

1. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TREAT WITH THE PHYSICIAN/CHIROPRACTOR OF YOUR CHOICE. Neither your employer, the BWC, nor the managed care organization (MCO) can choose for your or compel you to go to a particular doctor. You are free to select your own doctor as long as he/she is a certified BWC provider (which we are). If your employer has a self-insured status, verses a state funded status, you may to go to see the physician of their choosing for the INITIAL VISIT ONLY. Thereafter, you are allowed to choose whomever you’d like to see for care. Some employers may try to compel or steer you to see “their doctor(s)”…but you have to ask yourself, why? Who is the doctor working for, me or my employer?

2. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE DOCTORS AT ANYTIME. You may change doctors by providing the BWC with written notice if you are unhappy with the outcome of type of care rendered. You may only have one “physician of record” at a time that treats and helps manage your case.

3. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR WITHOUT ANY REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR EMPLOYER, THE BWC, OR A MCO PRESENT. The appointment with your doctor is soley between the two of you. You do not have to allow anyone else into the consultation or appointments.

4. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO FILE A CLAIM WITH THE BWC FOR INJURIES OR DISEASE RELATED TO DISABILITY SUSTAINED IN THE COURSE OF EMPLYMENT FOR UP TO A PERIOD OF TWO (2) YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ONSET.

5. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO NECESSARY, ONGOING COVERAGE UNDER YOUR BWC CLAIM. Your claim remains open for a 6 year period from the last date a medical bill was paid, for claims that have an absence of an award of compensation. For claims with an award of compensation (i.e. lost wages, permanent partial disability awards, etc.), the period extends to 10 years following the last date of payment.

6. YOU HAVE THE RGITH TO BE REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY.

7. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPEAL. A decision by your employer, the MCO, or the BWC can be appealed to the Industrial Commission of Ohio (ICO). An impartial ICO hearing officer will then make a decision on disputed matters.

8. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ANY AND ALL MEDICAL RECORDS PERTAINING TO YOU IN THE POSSESSION OF YOUR EMPLOYER OR ITS AGENTS. T he ORC Section 4113.23 requires your employer to provide you with copies of your medical records upon request, that it maintains on you.