Physicians and their contribution to liens
The attorney of the injured (in a personal injury case or a workers’ compensation case) sends a letter of protection or a medical lien to a physician. This letter generally states that the physician agrees to treat the patient until recovery so that the case in the court can be settled. The physician on lien does not get paid up front. He gets paid for his services after the case in the court arrives at a result – positive or negative.
A physician has a very important role to play in the mean while. He needs to understand all of the following:
• The treating physician needs to agree to treat the patient until recovery.
• He may be called upon to testify about the treatment he is providing.
• He needs to maintain a record of the injuries and the treatment advised.
• A physician must maintain records such as office notes, laboratory values, X-Rays and ECGs.
• He also needs to maintain a progress report to show how the patient has progressed during the course of treatment.
• A physician can elect to provide his testimony in the form of a deposition.
• The judge however, may order the physician to be present at the time of trial.
As an attending physician on lien, you make key decisions to the progress of your patient’s Personal Injury or Worker’s Compensation Claim. Only a physician can authorize the time loss. This essentially means that your statement will influence the time loss or the temporary disability claim that the patient has made.
You can evaluate the patient’s health resulting from the injury and provide information to the attorney regarding the extent of impairment.
Only you as a physician can declare when your patient is medically fit to resume work. You also have the authority to place any restrictions on the type of work, if the worker cannot return to a pre-injury state.
Your patient, in a personal injury case or a workers’ compensation case will not only be looking up to you for recovery and returning back to normal life, but also for decisions, opinions and other necessary information that can significantly influence his / her Personal Injury or Worker’s Compensation Claim.
It is hence important that you as a physician, note down every observation you make, every medical test you suggest and every treatment you provide. These notes can be very helpful for both the attorney and your patient so that they can produce enough data in the court to support their claims. Your role is critical to the decision of the case!
So, if you are a physician looking for working with attorneys on personal injury cases and workers’ compensation cases, you can register yourself at Power Liens. Power Liens is the largest online directory of doctors working on liens. Once you have registered your profile, attorneys from your area can locate you within a few clicks!
To visit California personal injury on Lien and California workers compensation on lien, please click the link: https://powerliens.com/public/index.php.