Virginia Workers’ Compensation & The Treating Doctor

Most claimants do not understand the importance of the treating doctor when they are injured. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission when all things are equal gives decisive weight to the opinion of the treating doctor. Usually, the treating doctor is the first doctor who treats the claimant. Of course, if the injury requires a specialist such as an orthopedist then the orthopedist can become the treating doctor. When a claimant is first injured, the claimant is often referred to Patient First or some form of occupational medicine. Then, if they cannot handle the problem, the claimant is referred to a specialist. Then, the specialist becomes the treating doctor.