Getting injured on the job can unfortunately be common in many industries, including construction, mining and farming. If you work in a high-risk industry, you may be concerned about medical expenses if you get hurt, and questions such as whether you can be treated by your regular doctor in the event of an injury.
This blog will serve as a brief overview into making preparations in the event of a work-related injury, and how predesignation works.
If I get injured on the job, can my usual doctor treat me?
If you send a written notice to your employer before the event of an injury, it is possible to be treated by your regular doctor. You must write to your employer with the name and address of your doctor. This is the act of “predesignating.”
How do I predesignate?
Firstly, you must be eligible to predesignate. You will be able to predesignate if you have the relevant health insurance on the date of your injury. You can write your own statement to your employer, or alternatively you can use DWC Form 9783 that is provided by the Division of Workers’ Compensation as a template.
There are limits to the requests you can make in relation to predesignation, however. You cannot make requests in relation to your personal acupuncturist or chiropractor, nor request someone that is not a licensed doctor of medicine or a doctor of osteopathy. You must also gain advance permission from the doctor in question, stating that they are willing to treat you for job-related injuries.
Source: DIR.ca.gov, “Overview of Workers’ Compensation Claims,” accessed Sep. 08, 2017