No! It’s very common for an employer and/or an insurance company to send you to their handpicked doctor in hopes of getting a report from him saying you weren’t really hurt, or that you can work, or some other opinion which is favorable to them. If the doctor says something that they don’t like – expensive evaluations like an MRI or taking you out of work – the defendants turn around and deny your claim. Your employer’s only responsibility is to pay for the authorized visits with this doctor. They have NOT accepted your claim.

If your company or their adjuster is telling you to go to a specific doctor you should ask them if they’ve accepted the claim. This is done on a Form 60 or, if the claim is accepted while they investigate, a Form 63.

These are the two forms which defendants use to accept a claim before the Industrial Commission. A Form 60 is an outright acceptance of the claim. It’s difficult for an insurance company to get off the hook if they’ve filed this. As a result you are more likely to see an adjuster file a Form 63.

Technically, a Form 63 is supposed to be used if an adjuster isn’t sure if a claim is compensable. She has 90 days to investigate the claim and then deny it if she needs to. If she takes no action within 90 days the claim is accepted. There are two things to look out for. If you have a Form 60 it may be very limited – they are only accepting your low back, not your hips, legs, or upper back for instance.

Additionally, a Form 63 is often misused as a 90-day trial. If your case looks like it’s going to be expensive the claim is going to be denied without regard to the actual facts of how you got hurt. We’ve actually had an adjuster testify to that tactic, under oath, before the Industrial Commission.