A nurse case manager may be assigned to your workers’ compensation case. Learn their role, your rights during medical exams, and how to ensure your care is prioritized.
If you have a workers’ compensation claim, your employer’s insurance provider may assign a nurse case manager to your case. The nurse case manager works for the insurance company and he or she will be responsible for reporting the status of your care to the insurance company.
The nurse case manager has the right to attend your doctor appointments; however, he or she has no right to be in the room with you while you are being examined by the doctor. If you elect to have a private exam, the nurse case manager must respect that request.
When the exam is complete, the nurse case manager has the right to speak to your doctor, but you should always try to be in the room while your nurse case manager is talking to your doctor. You want to know everything that they discuss so that you can be informed about all aspects of your medical care and treatment, including any work restrictions the doctor may give.
The information the nurse case manager reports to the insurance company can drastically impact your case. While many times the nurse case manager will act as your advocate, ultimately, he or she is an employee of the insurance company, and he or she may not have your best interests at heart.
That’s why it’s imperative that you pay close attention to any conversations the nurse case manager has with your doctor. If you have questions about how to deal with the nurse case manager assigned to your claim, the North Carolina workers’ compensation lawyers at Henson Fuerst can help. Call us today at (919) 781-1107 or complete a free initial consultation form.