Colorado’s Workers’ Compensation Laws are intended to protect the rights of workers who suffer an injury on the job. Found in Article 41 of the Colorado code, the workers’ compensation benefits available under Colorado law include payment for medical costs as well as payment for lost wages and other benefits. Unfortunately, employers and workers’ compensation insurers who pay benefits under workers’ comp are often more focused on their profit margins than on providing fair compensation to injured workers. As such, they typically try a number of cost-containment techniques including assigning nurse case managers who push workers comp doctors into focusing on the needs of the insurer instead of the needs of the patient.
While the law in Colorado requires insurers to make a nurse case manager available to you after a work injury, there is no requirement that you actually use the services of the nurse case manager. If you are not certain about whether you should use a nurse case manager or whether your nurse case manager is working for you, you should strongly consider speaking with The Dominick Law Firm. Our Boulder workers’ compensation lawyers have helped clients throughout Boulder, Thornton, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Broomfield, Lyons, Mead, Loveland, Wheatridge, Greeley, Ft. Collins, Superior, Denver and the entire Colorado front range to maximize their workers’ comp benefits and to make informed decisions during their treatment and recovery period. If you need assistance with your workers compensation claim, contact us today at (303) 447-2644 or using our online form for a free consultation to learn how we can help.
Boulder Workers’ Compensation Laws and Nurse Case Managers
In Colorado, a nurse case manager is made available to you after a work injury and may do a number of different things that are allegedly to help you recover after your work injury. For instance, your nurse case manager may coordinate your care and even accompany you to your doctor’s appointments.
Unfortunately, your nurse case manager may also try to do things to help the workers’ compensation insurance company. For instance, this may include trying to convince your doctor to reduce restrictions imposed on your ability to work or even to return you to work before you are fully ready. If your nurse case manager is doing this, it can result in your workers’ comp benefits being unfairly limited or curtailed.
You are not required to have a nurse case manager and when one is made available to you, you may tell the insurance company that you no longer wish to have his or her services. If you do not wish to have a nurse case manager on your case any longer, you should tell the insurer in writing both that you do not want a case manager and that you do not authorize the case manger to discuss any of your medical issues with your physician.
Knowing whether to have a nurse case manager or not, and taking action when your nurse case manager is not looking out for your interests, can be complicated. Speaking with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer for assistance in dealing with your nurse case manager is advisable.
The Dominick Law Firm can help you to deal with your nurse case manager and can otherwise assist you in getting the workers’ compensation benefits available under Colorado law. Our Boulder workers’ compensation firm has assisted clients with workers comp claims throughout Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Broomfield, Greeley, Ft. Collins, Superior, Denver and the entire Colorado front range. If you live in this area and need assistance with your workers’ compensation claim, contact us today at (303) 447-2644 or using our online form for a free consultation to learn how we can help.
