Fact Checked Under Wisconsin law, injured workers have their choice of medical providers following an injury. This includes physicians, chiropractors, psychologists, dentists, podiatrists, physician assistants or nurse practitioners. An injured worker is not required to receive treatment from an employer or worker’s compensation carrier’s designated provider. The injured worker is free to choose their own medical provider following a work injury.
However, injured workers need to be aware that while they have a great deal of freedom of choice in selecting a treating medical provider, some limits apply. For instance, the medical provider must be licensed to practice in the State of Wisconsin. Out-of-state treatment is only compensable if it is on a referral by a Wisconsin practitioner, or with the employer’s consent. Moreover, the employee is limited to two choices of practitioners except by agreement with the employer. Treatment by practitioners who are partners in a clinic only count as a single choice, as does the referral to another practitioner. For instance, referral from a primary care doctor to a surgeon is still a single choice.
Some exceptions may apply to the limits above. If you are an injured worker with questions about your treatment, or your treatment has been denied by the worker’s compensation carrier, you should speak to one of our experienced worker’s compensation attorneys at Domer Law.
