Need To Miss A Medical Appointment? Here Are Some Steps That You Should Take
If you've been injured at work and have hired a workers compensation attorney to fight for you, you'll need to help your cause by attending whatever medical appointments are necessary. Missing a medical appointment can cause your case to unravel, as it can indicate to the attorneys representing your company that your injury isn't as severe as you might be letting on. In some cases, repeated proof that you're claiming and injury but haven't sought the appropriate degree of medical care can make it difficult for your attorney to win. If you have to miss a medical appointment, here are some steps that you should take.
Write Down The Reasons Why
There can be legitimate reasons that you need to miss a medical appointment following your workplace injury, but you'll definitely want to write down the reasons. Note the date of the appointment and the practitioner in question, and then write a few sentences explaining why you weren't able to attend. For example, perhaps you were scheduled to see a physical therapist for rehabilitation care, but your child got sick and had to stay home from school, thus preventing you from being able to get to the therapy clinic in time for your appointment.
Reschedule The Appointment
It sends a bad message if you miss a medical appointment and don't schedule one in its place. If you absolutely have to miss an appointment, make sure to reschedule the appointment. Doing so immediately also sends a good message, as it shows that you value your appointments. This is better than letting a week go by before you get around to rescheduling the appointment, for example. On your note that lists the appointment you missed, make sure to clearly indicate that you've rescheduled the missed appointment.
Communicate With Your Attorney
No attorney wants to be blindsided in court to learn that his or her client hasn't been attending medical appointments. If you've had to miss even one, make sure that your attorney knows and also knows the reason for missing it. He or she will also want to know that you've successfully rescheduled the appointment. If you're having trouble getting to your appointments for any reason — perhaps you cannot drive because of your injury — let your attorney know this detail, too. He or she may help to arrange some method of transportation to ensure that you're able to attend all of your appointments.
