If you are receiving workers’ compensation payments and considering a vacation, read on! Remember that if you’ve suffered a workplace injury, you don’t have to give up the enjoyable aspects of your life. If you had travel plans before the injury or are considering making new ones, it’s permissible to travel while on Workers’ Compensation.
However, making responsible decisions that won’t impact your case is crucial. The Armstrong Law Firm, PLC, explores the advantages and disadvantages of traveling while receiving Oklahoma Workers’ compensation.
Vacation with Injuries Could Complicate Your Condition
It’s important to consider how your travel plans could affect your health, especially if you have an injury. Make sure to discuss your travel plans and activities with your doctor to get medical advice and to refill any necessary prescriptions before your trip.
An OK Workers’ Compensation lawyer from The Armstrong Law Firm can help you understand how travel could potentially impact your claim, as well as the view your employer might take on your ability to travel. If your injury prevents you from working, they may view your ability to travel with suspicion.
Traveling While Under a Doctor’s Care Could Compromise Your Care Needs
For individuals with severe injuries and medical advisories against travel, it is advisable to heed the medical advice. Similarly, frequent treatment appointments may make traveling for a vacation inadvisable. Weekend trips may be plausible depending on the individual’s situation, but extended travel plans can pose challenges. Some of these can include:
Skipping doctor’s appointments can make it hard to stay on top of your health, especially if you need specialized or hard-to-get appointments. It can also lead to missed doses of medication if you forget to take them or run out.
To avoid any potential impact on your workplace injury or illness due to vacation plans, it’s important to have a discussion with your medical care providers in advance. However, please note that doing so may carry some risks, as your medical records might contain notes about your travel plans and activities, which could potentially affect your Workers’ Compensation benefits.
Overexerting Yourself Could Compromise Your Health
Employees should be aware that Workers’ Compensation insurance companies may conduct investigations into your injuries and work capabilities without informing you of their investigative actions. These investigations may involve gathering evidence, such as photos and videos, to demonstrate that you have more physical ability than you claim.
If evidence is found that suggests you are able to work, even in a limited capacity, it could potentially jeopardize your claim for benefits. In such situations, a Tulsa Workers’ Compensation Attorney can help protect your rights and prevent any potential negative repercussions.
Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Investigations
Insurance companies tend to conduct thorough investigations into employees who have filed for or are receiving medical and financial benefits due to work-related injuries. Their investigation can include:
- Speaking with coworkers, family, friends, and neighbors
- Monitoring your social media channels for revealing images and comments
- Innocently questioning you without revealing their identity
Any questionable evidence they collect could be grounds to deny or cancel your benefits, leaving you without critical provisions for your healthcare and wage replacement needs.
Get Help from an Experienced Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Attorney
When seeking Workers’ Compensation benefits, the process can be quite intricate and time-consuming, involving extensive paperwork, information gathering, and medical evidence. Engaging an Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Attorney can greatly assist in navigating this process from beginning to end. They can provide valuable insight into your employer’s obligations and your rights as an ill or injured worker, and offer clarity on the following points:
- The potential impact of your travel decisions on your benefits claim
- Strategies your employer may use to reject your claim
- The potential consequences of traveling or taking a vacation in your case
Furthermore, should your benefits claim be denied due to travel or for any other reason, our attorneys can assist you through the appeals process.
Contact The Armstrong Law Firm in Tulsa for more information and assistance with Workers’ Compensation claims and challenges.