When a workers’ compensation injury occurs, it is important to understand the rights and rules in Nebraska regarding the initial selection of the treating physician. When an employee suffers an injury, he or she has the right to the initial treating doctor. The rules provide that the chosen physician must have previously treated the employee or must have provided treatment to an immediate family member. The injured worker must provide the name of the family physician chosen as the primary treating physician as soon as possible and before obtaining any medical treatment, unless it is emergency medical treatment. If the employee does not provide a name of a physician, the employer gets to choose the primary treating physician.
Additionally, if the physician the employee chooses requires an authorization to confirm your prior treatment and the injured worker does not provide the authorization, the employer/workers’ compensation carrier may choose the primary treating physician. The primary treating physician may not be changed once chosen by the injured worker, unless the employer/workers’ compensation carrier agrees to the change or the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court orders the change.
Click Physician Information to view an information sheet published by the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court regarding choice of physician.
