Rehabilitation Rights
Following a workplace injury, employers are legally obligated to pay for all of the medical treatments and care that an injured worker needs to recover. While this includes covering the costs of surgery, hospital stays and any medical equipment that the injured worker may need (like crutches or wheelchairs, for example), it also includes covering any physical rehabilitation that the worker may need, such as physical therapy or even chiropractic care.
Unfortunately, however, insurance companies often make an effort to deny the fulfillment of injured workers’ rehabilitation 
rights, as insurers are typically more interested in protecting their profit margins than looking out for the wellbeing of injured workers. To this end, insurers may attempt to claim any of the following in an effort to try to get out of paying for injured workers’ physical rehabilitation needs:
- The injuries were not sustained while the employee was working.
- The injuries are not as severe or extensive as the injured worker has stated.
- The injured worker has already achieved his maximum medical improvement.
- The injured worker was intoxicated or was blatantly disregarding safety procedures when he sustained his injury.
In such cases, it’s crucial that injured employees work with experienced attorneys who can help them stand up for their rehabilitation rights and obtain the medical care they need.
Vocational Rehabilitation
What is not legally covered by Colorado workers’ compensation laws is paying for an injured workers’ vocational rehabilitation. Also referred to as occupational rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation refers to the job training an injured worker may need in the event that his injury has left him with some type of partial disability that precludes him from being able to work in his former occupation.
Despite the fact an injured workers’ rehabilitation rights don’t necessarily include the right to vocational rehabilitation, some insurers may:
- Offer injured workers vocational rehabilitation in an effort to avoid later paying them permanent disability benefits
- Require that these employees complete certain aspects of vocational rehabilitation training in order for them to obtain access to certain benefits (like temporary disability benefits).
Some of the aspects of vocational rehabilitation may include:
- Additional education
- On-the-job training
- Help preparing resumes and cover letters
- Interview preparation
- Help securing interviews
- Other job placement help.
Denver Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Bisset Law Firm
If you have sustained a workplace injury and are having difficulty getting an insurer to fulfill your rehabilitation rights, the skilled Denver workers’ compensation attorneys at the Bisset Law Firm want you to know that we are here to aggressively advocate your rights and help you obtain the medical benefits to which you are entitled. Our experienced legal professionals are committed to providing each of our clients with the highest quality legal representation and, ultimately, helping them secure the best possible results for their cases.
To this end, our lawyers will:
- Provide our clients with clear and honest answers regarding the strengths and challenges associated with their cases
- Clearly explain their choices at every stage of their case
- Provide them with their best options when it comes to accepting a settlement or litigating their case in trial
- Keep them informed about every development in their case
- Meet all of their case deadlines
- Work relentlessly to keep their cases moving forward towards a favorable resolution
- Help our clients obtain the maximum possible benefits for their workplace injuries.
Contact Us Today
Contact the Denver workers’ compensation lawyers at the Bisset Law Firm by calling (303) 894-8900 to learn more about your rights and receive a professional evaluation of your case.
