Stuck With a Doctor You Don’t Trust? Your Right to Change Physicians in a Vermont Workers’ Comp Claim

After a work injury, the last thing you need is added stress about who’s treating you. If your employer’s insurance company picked your doctor and things aren’t going well, maybe your concerns feel dismissed, or you just don’t have confidence in the care, you might be asking whether you’re stuck with that provider for the rest of your claim. In Vermont, the answer is no.

Do You Have to Stick With the Doctor Your Employer Picked?

Not necessarily. Vermont employers are allowed to designate the treating provider for your initial visit right after a workplace injury. That first appointment, though, doesn’t lock you in for the rest of your recovery. Vermont law gives injured workers the right to choose a different health care provider after that initial visit.

How Do You Actually Switch Providers?

Switching isn’t complicated, but it does need to be done the right way. To change providers, you generally need to give your employer written notice explaining why you’re dissatisfied with the assigned doctor, along with the name and address of the new provider you’d like to see. Skipping this step can create headaches, since an employer may be permitted to refuse to pay the new provider’s bills if proper notice wasn’t given, unless the missed notice was an honest mistake.

What Are Good Reasons to Change Doctors?

People switch providers for all kinds of reasons, and you don’t need a dramatic falling out to make the change. Common reasons include:

• Feeling like your symptoms aren’t being taken seriously
• Wanting to see your own longtime family provider instead
• Believing a different provider has more relevant experience
• Simply not connecting well with the assigned doctor
• Wanting a second opinion on a recommended treatment or surgery

Whatever your reason, your comfort and trust in your medical provider can make a real difference in both your recovery and how your claim moves forward.

Ready to Take Control of Your Care?

Your recovery shouldn’t be complicated by a doctor you don’t trust. If you’re navigating a workers’ compensation claim in Vermont and aren’t sure how to properly request a new provider, our Vermont workers’ compensation lawyers at Sluka Law PLC can walk you through the process and help make sure your paperwork is done right. Contact our team today for a free consultation about your claim.

Source:

legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/21/009/00640