Workers' Comp Doctors Do Not Always Provide the Best Care

 Posted on April 11, 2025 in Workers' Compensation

Physician selection is an important part of care in the aftermath of a work-related accident. When your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance chooses the doctor for you, the care you receive may not always be the best because the treating doctor plays a role in resolving a workers’ comp claim. 

Sometimes, that translates into neglecting your best interests for the sake of the insurance provider. A compassionate and knowledgeable Colorado workers’ compensation attorney will ensure that someone is looking out for you so you can access the home assistance and essential services you need to live as comfortably as possible after your injury.

How Do I Get Long-Term Care After a Workplace Accident?

In the wake of a serious workplace injury that requires long-term care, the rehabilitation doctors who work with insurance companies on workers’ compensation claims should be referring skilled healthcare workers, like occupational therapists and registered nurses, to your home to evaluate your ability to live independently. 

Once these professionals can see your living situation and how you operate daily, they can make recommendations for home modification and durable medical equipment that you may need to maximize your ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) independently.

Insurance Companies and ADL Assessments After a Workplace Accident

After a professional evaluation of your independence level, occupational therapists and registered nurses may recommend home modifications, such as:

• Indoor and outdoor ramps

• Stairlifts

• Grab bars

• Elevated toilets

• Roll-in showers

Once they see you in your home and assess how you move around and care for yourself, they could recommend durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, hospital beds, scooters, and more. After modifications are made and medical devices are available, they can decide whether you still need home living assistance, which may include unskilled and skilled services.

Even if you need these modifications, equipment, and care, the insurance provider is unlikely to offer to pay for them voluntarily. You must prove they are medically necessary, and that depends, in part, on your healthcare team’s recommendations. If the people who are assessing your independence are more concerned about profitability than providing you with proper care, you may miss out on much-needed assistance. 

What if the Workers’ Comp Insurance Will Not Provide the Care I Need After an Accident? 

Tort reform limitations typically do not affect injured employees on workers’ compensation insurance. The Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation has a fee schedule that lists the cost of unskilled home assistance for essential services at $50 per hour, which means that one hour of unskilled home assistance per day can cost an insurance company more than $18,000 annually. Skilled healthcare workers will cost more. Unfortunately, workers’ compensation rehabilitation doctors will often avoid recommending these necessary services because they are aware of how expensive it will be for the insurance company.

Contact a Fort Collins, CO Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today

At Hoggatt Law Office, P.C., you will work with a Larimer County, CO workers’ comp lawyer who believes in holding doctors accountable and ensuring that they do what is best for you, not the insurance company’s bottom line. Call 970-225-2190 to schedule a free consultation. We can discuss your needs and the benefits you should be receiving through your workers’ comp claim.