Medical Bills

For over 20 years, the trusted Massachusetts disability lawyers, at Kantrovitz & Associates have been serving clients throughout the state. As seasoned veterans of the claims and appeals process, we put our experience to work for you. Our Boston office provides the highest quality representation to Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Suffolk Counties. We are committed to protecting the rights of injured workers in Massachusetts, as well as in Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Massachusetts has a “no fault” system of providing insurance for worker injuries on the job. Workers’ compensation benefits are usually awarded to disabled workers in lieu of personal injury damages. This eliminates unnecessary litigation and provides for workers who require services ranging from job retraining to lifetime benefits as a result of their condition. But as in any government system, claims are often back-logged and the process adversarial. This is why experienced representation is crucial to expediting approval and payment of benefits.

Medical Treatment Costs

Workers often delay necessary medical care for economic reasons. This stunts healing and aggravates pre-existing conditions until they become intolerable. Already stressed and exhausted, workers are vulnerable to job-related accidents. Accidents at the workplace often involve:

• Slip-and-falls
• Exposure to toxins
• Construction accidents
• Mental, somatic disorders
• Risks near heavy machinery
• Manufacturing, chemical spills
• Repetitive stress fractures, injuries
• Loss of bodily function, disfigurement
• Traumatic brain and spinal cord damage

Under Massachusetts law, workers’ compensation provides benefits for these injuries, including the otherwise unaffordable medical expenses required to treat the injury. Benefits for Medical Bills The first step to proving a work-related injury is diagnosis. Massachusetts law generally permits injured workers to choose their treating physician. Some states require a medical report prepared by an employer-assigned doctor. Employee handbooks must state whether workers are required to see the employer’s “preferred provider” for the initial consultation. If there is such a requirement, the first medical examination must be performed by this provider. After this diagnosis, workers can consult or resume treatment with their chosen physician. They are entitled to compensation for all medical expenses arising out of the accident. These may include:

• Hospital bills
• Emergency care
• Physical therapy
• Prescription drugs
• Surgical operations
• Follow-up treatment
• Outpatient procedures
• Mileage, parking costs

The medical report will state the type of disability at issue, and whether it is total, partial, temporary, or permanent. Physicians will also render an opinion regarding the impact of the injury on the patient’s ability to work. If the disability makes it impossible to perform basic job functions, workers’ compensation benefits may include vocational training to learn another job. The specific amount of benefits will likewise depend on the extent of the injury or illness.

Continuing Medical Treatment

Based on the diagnosed condition, injured workers will continue to be reimbursed for medical expenses. They will also receive cash payments for a specified portion of their average weekly wage prior to the accident. The benefits can continue until the injury heals. If the disability will prevent work for more than 12 months, the patient may be eligible for social security disability as well as workers’ compensation benefits. Disagreements over the classification of the disability are inevitable over time. While some workers receive lifetime benefits, most require periodic review of the patient’s current status to determine whether payments should be stopped or extended.

Boston Disability Lawyers Dedicated to You

At Kantrovitz & Associates, our Massachusetts disability lawyers focus solely on workers’ compensation and personal injury claims. We have over two decades of experience helping disabled workers recover the benefits they need. Rather than sinking into debt for medical bills and lost income, let us work to ensure full compensation for you. Kantrovitz & Associates is dedicated to maximizing your award and building a secure future for you and your family. For a free consultation, call 800-367-0871 or contact us online.