Disadvantages of a Company Doctor Looking at Your Offshore Injury

Under maritime and Jones Act law, you have the right to choose your own doctor to treat any injury you sustain while working in a maritime profession. However, many maritime workers are never told about this option and are falsely led to believe that they have to see the company doctor. In the event that this occurs, know that a New Orleans injury lawyer can help you seek justice.

Disadvantages of Seeing a Company Doctor

While you can take this option, it's usually a much better idea to choose your own doctor because the following could happen: 

• incomplete testing and diagnosis;
• delay in reporting test results and symptoms;
• inaccurate assessment of special treatment needs; and
• generalized assessments of workers' health. 

It's this last factor that you need to worry about the most when filing an injury claim under Jones Act or maritime law. General assessments of a worker's health usually don't provide the necessary evidence of a workplace injury. You sometimes need a specialist to diagnose work-related injuries or conditions, and you have the right to seek a specialist of your choice.

To avoid these and the many other disadvantages of using the company doctor, you should exercise your right to choose your own physician. A New Orleans injury lawyer who's focused on Jones Act and maritime law can help you understand your rights in regards to choosing your medical treatment after an offshore accident. 

Contact a New Orleans Injury Lawyer or Attorney in Lafayette

The Jones Act law provides you with certain protections your employer may not want you to know about. A Jones Act attorney near Lafayette from The Young Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana can help you if you have suffered injury in offshore oil rig accidents or other accidents and injuries that fall under maritime law.

Though we are based in Louisiana, we are ready and able to help injured victims throughout the U.S. Order our free Maritime Injury Law guide and/or our guide to what to do when you are injured in offshore oil rig accidents to learn all about your rights as an injured worker.

When you are ready to get started with your Jones Act injury case, we urge you to contact our New Orleans injury lawyer team today for a FREE case evaluation - call 1-504-680-4100 or toll-free at 1-866-938-6113.