[tcg2k5]

Hello,
I would like to know what are my rights. Here is the situation:
I worked for a local fast food place and was hurt on the job. Because of that I missed 2 weeks of work because I could not stand on my feet for long. Well I had gave them copies of medical info. Now 2 years almost later and still nothing. I had talked to the workmans department rep and they thought that they did not owe me anything. Well I received a medical bill that they did not pay and I forwarded it to them and also they said that they did not receive anything from my local store on my condition and for me to resupply them with that info. Well my doctor moved to boston so I cannot talk to him any longer. How long do I have to get this money thats owed to me and since its been so longer do I get any add'l amount since they failed to pay?

[Anonymous]

If the problem is that your employer does not have your paperwork, either because they lost it or it was never sent to them, resubmit the paperwork. For reasons such as the possibility of its loss, or the possibility that a doctor will move to another state, it is always good practice to maintain copies of documentation for your own records.

If the problem is that you have never submitted the paperwork, or that it was not submitted by your doctor, again, it needs to be submitted. Your situation sounds a bit unusual, as doctors often prefer to bill workers' compensation services to the WC carrier, not the patient, unless the patient is otherwise insured.

If you have an unpaid bill, you should be able to obtain an original bill from the doctor who provided the latest statement, so you can establish for your employer that it was related to your on-the-job injury. If that's the doctor who moved to Boston, the records should still nonetheless be available.