Dr. De Brine understands that the process of opening, managing, and closing a Workers' Compensation board case is quite difficult and often confusing, and she would like to make some sense out of the process for you. Below are some steps you can take to ensure your case in handled correctly and that you’ll be able to receive the medical care you require.
As you hopefully already know, your injury must first be reported to your employer, and your employer must then submit your report to the Workers' Compensation board. If at this time your injury has not been reported to your employer, treatment cannot begin until you do so. You will know that you have an 
official Workers' Compensation case once you receive a letter from the Workers' Compensation board (WCB) with a WCB case number. You may also receive a credit-card sized ID card that lists your WCB case number. This ID card should be shown to the office staff as soon as it is received, as it contains important information for the handling of your case. If you do not receive this ID card within six weeks of reporting your injury, please contact the WCB, as it may cause problems later on for you in the handling of your case.
It is important that you keep a file of all papers you receive concerning your case. These may be important later on, in the event that problems arise in your case.
Please ensure that you have reported all the symptoms that you have experienced as a result of your injury, even if they were not present at the time of your initial examination. This is very important, as Dr. De Brine will document it, and treatment will most likely be covered if the symptoms return at a later time.
The insurance company that is covering your medical expenses for your injury has the right to have you examined by your doctor, referred to as an Independent Medical Examiner (IME), at any time. Failure to attend this examination may result in your case being closed, and you being made responsible for any outstanding bills. At this examination, you will be required to report your symptoms and how you have responded to treatment. If you fail to persuade the examiner that you have responded favorably to treatment, your case may be closed and you may be made responsible for any outstanding bills. In order to ensure that your case is justly handled, you may want to provide the examiner with a written account of the areas that have bothered you since the injury along with a careful description of your progress since you began treatment. After the examination, you will receive a copy of the examiner's IME report. If this report contains any misinformation or lacks any important facts, you must contact the Workers' Compensation board to set the record straight.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do to ensure that you receive the care that is warranted by your injury is to follow the treatment plan Dr. De Brine prescribes. She will determine the frequency with which you will need to be treated to reach your ideal pre-injury status. This information will also be submitted to the insurance carrier handling your case, and in the event that you do not follow her recommendations, your case may be closed due to non-compliance.
We hope that this helps you to better understand your Workers' Compensation case. More information is available regarding the process of opening, managing, and closing a Workers' Compensation case from our office's staff.
Dr. De Brine and the office staff are always available for any questions or concerns patients may have about their care, so feel free to ask or bring them to our attention. They look forward to beginning your treatment and following your progress as you experience the benefits of chiropractic care. Please call or contact us through the form on this page to schedule an appointment.