Hurt at Work in Mississippi and Choosing Your Own Doctor
Can you choose your own doctor if you were hurt at work in Mississippi? Do you have to see the doctor that your job tells you to see?
A worker is injured on the job every seven seconds. This means 540 work injuries occur every hour (source, National Safety Council). No one wants to get injured while they are at work, but the harsh reality is this: work injuries are distressingly common. So, what happens if you get injured and you need to see a doctor? Do you have to see the company doctor your employer is telling you to see? No. You are able to choose your own doctor to treat with. Mississippi Code Annotated 71-3-15 gives the injured worker the right to choose who they treat with – “[t]he injured employee shall have the right to accept the services furnished by the employer or, in his discretion, to select one (1) competent physician of his choosing and such other specialists to whom he is referred by his chosen physician to administer medical treatment.” Be aware, however, that under this same law if you treat with a doctor for a period of six (6) months or longer or if that doctor performs surgery on you then they become your choice by default.
The important takeaway is that you have options. Knowing what those options are will help you make smart choices. And contacting a seasoned, experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation law firm early is the smartest choice you can make. The Mississippi personal injury attorneys at Chhabra & Gibbs have vast experience in workers’ compensation cases. The consultation is free, and we do not charge anything unless we successfully recover for you. Call us at 601-948-8005 or use our live chat on our website so we can help point you in the right direction.