May 2017
Is Your Doctor Holding Up Your Disability Benefits?
When a maritime worker falls ill or is injured on the job it is important that his doctor provides adequate documentation to the employer or the employer’s insurance carrier so that medical and disability benefits will flow smoothly. Many doctors are quite slow in processing paperwork which only causes delay and frustration to the injured worker. It should be made clear to the medical practitioner that with each visit he must provide updated information to the responsible party so that the worker can receive his benefits and the doctor can be paid! At the very least the doctor needs to identify the worker’s medical problem, that it is related to his work, the nature of his intended treatment, and current duty status. Requests for any testing or referrals must also be made. Be sure and keep track of what the doctor is noting and always ask for copies of his notes to the employer!
Question From The Bridge
I didn’t receive my maintenance check and the company says it’s because they do not have a current duty status slip from the doctor. The doctor’s office is telling me they sent my last chart note to the company. What should I do? Robert P, Oakland, CA.
Answer:
Dear Robert,
They may have sent it, but the chart note might not contain all of the necessary information for the company to pay maintenance. Make sure that the doctor provides your current duty status and the expected date that you may be able to return to work. He should always mention that he is treating you for an illness or injury related to your work. If the expected return to work date is unknown, it is usually fine to just put your next appointment date. If the company still refuses you should immediately contact a lawyer.
Temporary Address Change
We have relocated to San Francisco while our new Oakland space undergoes renovation from fire damage. We have offices on both sides of the Bay to serve you! Look for our Oakland opening sometime in late spring. In the meantime, please contact us at
The Law Offices of Cavin and Marks, Jr.
535 Pacific Avenue, Suite 100
San Francisco, CA 94133
Our phone and fax remain the same
Ph: 510-291-4743
www.sealawyer.com.
About Our Law Firm
For more than four decades, merchant mariners, longshoremen, fishermen and harbor workers plying their trades at sea, on the docks, on our U.S. coastal waters and inland waterways have turned to the maritime law firm of Law Offices of Cavin and Marks, Jr. & Associates in Oakland. Today, we are proud to be recognized as one of the preeminent maritime law firms serving injured marine workers nationwide, as well as one of the most successful personal injury litigation firms serving victims of negligence in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the West Coast
Team Approach To Every Personal Injury And Jones Act Claim
When you retain Law Offices of Cavin and Marks, Jr. & Associates for a Jones Act injury claim; or personal injury claim, you don’t get just one attorney, you get our entire team of dedicated professionals. Our attorneys offer more than 150 combined years of courtroom and negotiated claims settlement experience. We will represent your interests with unwavering dedication, speed and expertise.