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Asked over 4 years ago - Atlanta, GA
FlagI was injured while working as a Intern my a major health dept in Atlanta and they are refusing to pay my hospital bill for emergency room treatment stating that I should have gone to their private clinic. Is this legal.
I am a workers' compensatoni attorney in Atlanta who handles cass all over the state. You can go to the hospital for emergency treatment although the ER will not become the authorized treating physician. Although some of th eanswer to this question would depend on the exact circumstances under which you went to the ER, it is hard for me to envision a situation under which you would not be covered for a one time visit to an ER, or visits to ERs for medical care in emergency situations. You can check my website at www.longandholder.com for answers to basic workers' compensaton questions or call me at 404-523-6100.
I agree with Tom. Your being an intern should not affect whether or not you are eligible for workers' compensation benefits in this instance. Feel free to contact me with additional questions, if you like, via my website or blog - www.gaworkerscomplaw.com.
While you should have gone to a company doctor to guarantee coverage, there are situations where an initial visit to an emergency room should be covered. For instance, if you were working a night shift and no supervisor was available to direct you to the company doctor, a visit to the ER shoudl be paid. Additionally, any emergency visit to an ER shoudl be covered.
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