I was hurt in a railroad accident while working and my employer set up an appointment for me to see the company doctor about my injuries. Do I have to see my employers doctor?

A:

No!  You do NOT have to see your employer’s doctor.  A very important FELA protection is that you are allowed to see any doctor you choose.  In fact, it is in your best interest to see an independent doctor who has no affiliation whatsoever with your employer.

Why is this so important?  Any doctor tied to your employer has an obvious bias – they are on your employer’s side, not yours.  Company doctors are more likely to downplay the extent of your injuries and are also more likely to approve you to go back to work before you are fully healed.

Both of these things can mean that you won’t get the treatment you need for your injuries, and you could even end up making your injuries worse.  Make sure you get proper medical care and enough time to heal by finding your own doctor.

If you need help finding an independent doctor, you can ask your FELA railroad injury attorney for help.