Absolutely not. The adjuster has only one job: to make her company profitable. The way she does that is by limiting how much she spends on your case. This doesn’t mean she’s going to be hateful and evil to you. That rarely works – although they do it sometimes. Rather, she’ll likely be pleasant but doesn’t follow through with things that cost her company money. Things like mileage reimbursements prompt scheduling of medical appointments, and ensuring that you’re weekly checks included credits for overtime, bonuses, and per diems.
What about the adjuster hiring a rehabilitation nurse? Our impression is that this is a calculated maneuver on her part. Yes, the nurse costs money. But if the nurse is effective the doctor may order less treatment and return you to work sooner than he ordinarily would. All of that saves the adjuster money.
Keep in mind that your adjuster is probably under pressure from her supervisors to close out files as quickly as practicable. She’s also probably getting an earful from a lot of injured workers. If she’s been around any length of time she may well be feeling a little burnt out or jaded as to the complaints of workers’ compensation claimants.
The other thing to understand is that your adjuster is a professional. She knows the ins and outs of workers’ compensation. She undergoes rigorous annual training and periodic updates on the law. She is a professional. You are probably very very good at what you do (or did). But you aren’t a workers’ compensation professional. Putting it bluntly: you’re no match for her. You won’t even necessarily know where’s she’s cutting you short if she does. And this is without her even turning to a defense attorney to assist.
The bottom line is that workers’ compensation is one of those areas where you can be underwater without even knowing you are. That’s how complex the law is. It is never ever a mistake to call a lawyer. You may not need to hire one. But you do need to speak with one.
