Honesty Is the Best Policy
WHAT TO TELL YOUR PHYSICIAN
Injured workers are often suspicious of the doctor they’re required to see for treatment of a job-related incident. Maybe they’re unfamiliar with the medical provider or they’re worried about doing and/or saying something that will jeopardize their claim. Whatever the reason, this skepticism can cause the patient to not be entirely honest or adequately detailed when answering the doctor’s questions. But what these workers don’t realize is that withholding or twisting the truth can hurt their claim eventually. As with many things in life, honesty is the best policy when talking to workers’comp doctors. 1. Fill out the intake form completely and accurately. Even if you’ve already filled out an incident report for work, still take care to fill out the patient information form completely. Describe every symptom, twinge, or bruise—not just the most painful or problematic. 2. Give a complete history of the work injury. Often, the moment your pain surfaces is not when the injury or exposure first occurs. It’s important to describe everything that happened which may have contributed to your injury. If you fell off a ladder one day and woke up the next in extreme pain, the doctor needs to know the whole story, not just that you woke up one day in pain. Also, if you previously experienced pain in No matter who your first visit is with, it’s vital that you follow each step to ensure the success of your claim:
that particular body part, be open about it. If you haven’t had ongoing problems with it until now, or if the pain is different, make sure to emphasize this.
3. Don’t sign inaccurate or incomplete forms. The medical provider, employer, or managed care organization
(MCO) may ask you to sign an initial workers’compensation claim application (Form FROI-1). Don’t sign it if the details of your injury are incomplete or inaccurate.
4. Never exaggerate or fake symptoms. A doctor can identify the nature and extent of your injuries through examinations and medical testing. They will know if you’re lying, and when they catch you, it may do irreparable harm to your workers’comp claim. Always be honest and thorough. Even if you have concerns whether the physicians and MCOs have your best interests at heart, honesty is always the best policy. We can point out their bias if we need to, but you shouldn’t withhold any information. And, if you’re struggling with an employer or MCO you think is dishonest, don’t wait. Call JimMonast at 614-334-4649 to schedule a strategy session soon!
SUDOKU
ABBY’S APPETIZERS
BUTTERY ROASTED CHESTNUTS
Whether or not you have an open fire, you can easily roast some chestnuts using this simple, delicious recipe.
INGREDIENTS
• • •
2 pounds fresh chestnuts, unpeeled
• • •
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2–3 sprigs rosemary
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
1.
Heat oven to 450 F.
2.
Place a large sheet of foil on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. On a large, flat workspace, place chestnuts flat side down. Using a sharp knife, carve an X on the rounded side of each chestnut. 4. In a large bowl of hot water, soak chestnuts for 1 minute. 5. Pat dry and transfer to a medium bowl. Add rosemary, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Toss to coat and transfer to baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer. Gather the edges of the foil together, leaving an opening at the top. 6. Roast until peels curl up, about 30–45 minutes. 7. Transfer to a platter and serve while hot or warm.
Inspired by Bon Appétit
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