What if My Work Orders Change While on Worker’s Comp?

When working on Indiana worker’s comp law, one thing I see a lot is employees getting work orders from their doctors and not knowing what to do about it.  They wonder what will happen if work orders change while on worker’s comp. If those employees are clients of mine, I advise them to always promptly notify their employer what the doctor said about work, even if it is the same orders as before. It becomes even more important if the doctor changes your restrictions. The employer may be able to let you go back to work if the new restrictions free up some other jobs.

Can my employer force me to come back to work? The answer is “yes” if they have work that can accommodate the restrictions given by the doctor. What if the doctor says I can do more than I really can? What if my employer is asking me to exceed my restrictions? Should I go into work if I know I won’t be able to do work within the new restrictions my doctor gave me? These are all difficult questions to answer on your own, so contact the worker’s compensation lawyer at Salmon & Hewins today for a free consultation.