If you sustain an injury at work, you may have a nurse case manager appointed to your case. Many of my clients are unaware of the role of a nurse case manager, and many of them have never even heard of one until they begin their workers’ compensation case. A nurse case manager is a neutral third party in your case. They don’t work for the insurance company, nor are they a part of your medical team. It is their job to report information on your condition to the insurance carrier, the hope being that doing so will speed up your case.
It’s important to understand that a nurse case manager is supposed to be objective. Everything you say to them will be reported to your insurance provider. Therefore, be careful: Don’t say anything that could be misconstrued or harmful to your case. We recommend looking over all of the notes that your nurse case manager passes along, and make sure to dispute any discrepancies. You should be receiving copies of these notes. Moreover, your nurse case manager should not be speaking to your doctor if you are not present.
If you feel that your nurse case manager is acting in a way that is harmful to your case, or representing you in an unfair light, be sure to contact an experienced attorney to help you negotiate with them. You should always tell your attorney if you feel that your nurse case manager is not protecting your rights (for example, if they are not providing you with copies of their correspondences or attempting to speak with your doctor without your presence).
