The Klob Law Firm, LLC

Workers' compensation clients often come to me several months after their injury date to seek advice on whether they need legal representation.  In many cases, these injured workers also express concern that the insurance company has assigned a "case manager" to their claim, and that this "case manager" is either calling them to discuss their case or, in some instances, actually attending their doctor appointments with them.  In some cases, case managers can be highly-skilled patient advocates who have extensive medical expertise and who are of great benefit to assisting an injured worker in their recovery, and in other cases, case managers can be "hired gun" employees or contractors for the insurance company whose sole mission is to prevent the injured worker from obtaining the basic benefits to which they are entitled under the Georgia Workers' Compensation Act.  As a general rule, I advise clients (and potential clients) to not agree to have anyone from the insurance company "managing" their case or attending any doctor visits because in most cases, the primary function of this "case manager" is to attempt to influence the injured workers' treating physicians to push the injured worker back to work before they are ready, and the use of a case manager in most cases is generally either redundant or harmful.  While some attorneys will refuse to allow case management in all cases, however, there are some cases where I have found case management to be beneficial and where I will either agree to it, or will even recommend it.  The cases where I have found case management to be helpful are cases where my clients have injuries such that they may require extra assistance with transportation and with scheduling appointments, and where agreeing upon a neutral and patient-oriented third party case manager will be helpful to all concerned.  Where I do not recommend case management, however, is in cases where the case manager is a direct employee of the insurer or where the case manager is clearly attempting to function as an advocate on behalf of the insurance company as opposed to a neutral third party and patient advocate.  If you have any questions about whether or not to agree to "case management" in your workers' compensation claim, please contact the Klob Law Firm for guidance, because the decision to allow "case management" (or the decision to select the right case manager in those rare cases where it is warranted) is critical to your claim and your potential for reaching maximum medical recovery.

Copyright 29 June 2011 by Klob Law Firm (All Rights Reserved)