Employees may need a second medical opinion in cases involving:

Employer conflicts.

If the doctor you are seeing relies on referrals from your employer, he may claim that you can return to work as soon as possible or that your injuries are not serious. This is a conflict of interest and warrants a second opinion.

Occupational illnesses.

A doctor may have difficulty determining how much of your condition was caused by your lifestyle versus a hazard at work. For example, if you are a smoker and work in a factory that produces hazardous chemicals, your doctor may deem that your respiratory condition was caused by smoking rather than inhaling noxious fumes.

Previous injuries.

A doctor may wrongly believe that your current injury was influenced by your previous medical history, or even that your injury is just a “flare up” of your condition and unrelated to your work. You may need to consult with a specialist to determine the link between prior and existing injuries.

 

Christopher L. Russo
Helping Rhode Island personal injury victims for nearly three decades to get the compensation they deserve.