After an employee sustains a work-related injury, there are many steps that will need to be taken, ranging from paperwork to reporting the injury to insurance company to reporting certain injuries to state and federal entities. One of the most important steps is making sure that an employee receives proper medical treatment. Although some medical treatment may involve addressing acute and emergent injuries, such as a broken arm, other treatment plans may include more long-term types of treatment, such as physical therapy. Some workers may elect to pursue alternative treatments. Two of these treatments are acupuncture or going to a chiropractor.
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine with roots in China. With acupuncture, tiny needs are inserted into the patient’s skin at very particular, key points. Practitioners of acupuncture believe that proper practice can alleviate stress or pain. Under the California Labor Code 4600, acupuncture is recognized as a valid treatment for work-related injuries. The labor code provides that an authorized practitioner of acupuncture may apply to become certified as a health care organization to provide treatment to injured employees.
Chiropractic care is based on manipulating and realigning joints, especially those in the spine. Practitioners believe that proper chiropractic care can help address disorders affecting nerves and muscles. As with acupuncture, California Labor Code 4600 provides that chiropractic care is a valid treatment course for workers’ compensation. Unfortunately, many employers have reported negative experiences with some chiropractors. In the past, some unscrupulous chiropractors would continue to make sure the injured worker came back for as many treatments as possible to maximize the money he or she could make from the patient. In response, California law now provides that chiropractic visits shall be capped at twenty four for each industrial injury, unless the employer authorizes additional visits. This law was passed in response to the fact that past studies revealed that workers’ compensation cases involving chiropractic care often paid out more than thirty percent more than other cases, and tended to last longer. The law is intended to address the fact that many chiropractors often recommend chiropractic care as a life long course of care, and some were attempting to draw out treatment far after was actually needed for the work-related injury.
If you have questions about what type of care is appropriate or available for your injured worker, call us today. We have extensive experience helping business owners understand their rights and responsibilities under California law.