10 Dangerous and Expensive Traps for Injured USPS Employees

WOL+MED specializes in the treatment of work injuries for USPS employees. After reading the manual for treating federal workers comp cases, we realized that USPS employees can lose money and their work injury benefits several different ways if they're not careful, and if they don't have a doctor who understands how to avoid these problems. So, here's a list of 10 ways a USPS employee can use work injury benefits and money.


1. Choose the right doctor the first time. Future unauthorized changes of treating doctors could make you personally responsible for the cost of medical treatment.

2. You must claim your benefits in order to receive them. Having dependents increases your check from 67% of your normal pay, to 75% of your normal pay.

3. You must fill out the Form CA-16 and OWCP-1500 and give it to your doctor so that you won’t be held personally responsible for your medical bills.

4. You must fill out your Form CA-1 within 30 days of your injury or you may not receive Continuation of Pay (COP).

5. Medical Evidence of Your Injury must be reported to your employer within 10 work days or your COP may be terminated.

6. You must fill out a Form CA-7 (Claim for Compensation on Account of Traumatic Injury or Occupational Disease) if you can’t return to work due to your injury and you are losing pay for more than 3 days.

7. If you don’t fill out a Form CA-8 for continuing compensation, after the CA-7 dates run out, continuing compensation may not be paid to you while you are off work.

8. You must return to work on-time, as determined by your doctor, or you can to lose compensation or COP.

9. If your injury is not thoroughly documented by your doctor, you can lose your medical benefits and payment during your time off from work.

10. Not filing your required paperwork on-time and to the right people, can cause you to lose all of your injury benefits.

WOL+MED doctors and staff will fill out your CA forms with you in the office to make sure they are correct and filed on time. They are also expert at doing a complete Letter of Causation proving that your injury is work-related. It's not easy to find a doctor who will treat your federal workers comp injury, but WOL+MED is expert in that area. We love helping injured USPS employees.

If you were injured while working for the United States Postal Service, we can help you. Call us in Denton, TX at (940) 484-7000 or in Dallas at (972) 572-5000. You can also visit us on the web at www.wolmed.com.

We want to be your doctor!

Hurt at Work and Getting Laid Off?

What if you were hurt at work, but now you might be getting laid off?

If you get laid off / fired, your claim for a work injury will most likely be denied. What does that mean if you have a work injury? That means you need to see a doctor today and get your injury claim open and accepted by your workers comp insurance carrier. Then, if you happen to get laid off or fired, you can still get treated for your work injury and receive Temporary Income Benefits (money) while you are being treated and getting better.

The alternative is that you could get laid off / fired, be hurt and in pain, not be getting a pay check, and not be able to get a job doing something else because you're injured. This just isn't an option. You deserve to get better and be able to work.

So remember: If you were hurt at work, don't wait to be fired or laid off before trying to file your work injury claim. It could be too late by that time. See the doctor today!

WOL+MED medical doctors are workers comp experts. We're open early in the mornings and late into the evenings, plus Saturdays. So, you can get an appointment today. Let us help you.

Denton: (940) 484-7000
Dallas: (972) 572-5000

Visit us on the Web at: www.wolmed.com

WOL+MED Patient Appreciation

On Friday, January 9th, WOL+MED held its first Patient Appreciation Day of 2009. We cooked hamburgers, hot dogs, and hot links and served them to almost 100 people. Additionally, we did a drawing where 4 patients won $25 gift certificates to Wal-Mart.

Patient Appreciation is not just a term thrown around losely at WOL+MED because our #1 Core Value is "Patients are #1!" We truely appreciate our patients! We love that they are such a huge referral source of new patients. In 2009, our patients referred over 300 other patients with work injuries or auto injuries. WOL+MED appreciates its patients and our patients respond by telling other people about us.

We really love showing our appreciation towards our awesome patients! In 2009, we will host many "Patient Appreciation" days. We invite you to give us chance if you are hurt at work or in a car wreck. We would love the opportunity to have you as one of our patients.

Call us at (940) 484-7000 in Denton, or at (972) 572-5000 in Dallas. Or visit us on the web at www.wolmed.com and at http://wolmed.spaces.live.com/.

We want to be your doctor!

The Impact of the Economy on Injured Workers

As of the end of November, 2008, 10.3 million Americans (6.7%) report being unemployed. This is 2.7 million more unemployed workers than at the same time in 2007. Texas workers represent 675,000 of the total unemployed workers in the United States. This is up 38% from the same time in 2007.

With the VERY high unemployment rate (especially among Texans), it's no wonder we at WOL+MED are hearing more and more about people who were hurt at work but are scared to report their injury for fear of being fired. Folks are looking around their workplace and seeing the reduction in labor, and they don't want to be next.

WOL+MED medical doctors are aware of this concern and we are able to help with it.

1. Many employers will accept injured workers back at work with some restrictions. This allows you to keep working and get the treatment you need to get better. If the doctor and you think you could try working, and light duty is available, then this could be an option for you.
2. We are open early in the morning (7am) and we close late in the evening (8pm). This allows you to make an appointment outside of your work hours if this is necessary for you.
3. We are open Saturdays from 7am to 4pm. If you don't work Saturdays, this could be a great option for you to get treated or see the doctor.
4. Our doctors are workers comp experts. They will fill out your work status form correctly and get it to your employer and insurance adjustor on time. This keeps everyone on the same page about the status of your treatment.
5. Our doctors and staff carry on excellent communication with employers to make sure they understand what is going on with your case.

If you're hurt at work, you should be able to get treatment without fear of losing your job. WOL+MED will help you get the treatment you need. Please let us help you. We are workers comp experts and we know how to get you the treatment you need. We want to be your doctor.

If you were hurt at work, please let us help you. If you know someone else who was hurt at work, please tell them about us. Call us in Denton at (940) 484-7000 or in Dallas at (972) 572-5000. Also, visit us on the web at http://www.wolmed.com/.

WE WANT TO BE YOUR DOCTOR.

The Differences Between WOL+MED and the Big Chain Doctors

Why would you go to a Big Chain Doctor for your work injury when you have WOL+MED as an option?

WOL+MED prides itself on being expert in workers comp injuries. Sure, we're family practice doctors, but we are workers comp experts. We pride ourselves on you being comfortable and happy for sure, but we are #1 in work injuries because we are experts and we will get your case and your treatment done right.

So much can go wrong with a workers comp case if the doctor is not a workers comp expert.

1. Your injury claim could be denied.
2. Your checks could be cut off.
3. Your work status forms could be filled out wrong or not sent in on time and get you in trouble with your employer.
4. You could be sent back to work too early, getting you hurt even worse.
5. You might have to drive up to 30 miles to get therapy because the doctor doesn't have adequate rehab facilities.
6. The doctor may not be very good at doing impairment ratings which could cost you a lot of money in the end.
7. If the doctor doesn't recognize the injury as a work injury, you could be stuck with the bill.

So, should you trust the Big Chain Doctors with your workers comp case when WOL+MED doctors are workers comp experts?

1. We know how to get your workers comp claim approved.
2. We'll keep your checks from getting cut off.
3. We will send your work status forms in on time and they will be correct.
4. We won't send you back to work so early that you get re-injured.
5. You won't need to drive anywhere else to get treatment. You'll do it in our office.
6. WOL+MED doctors are State Certified to do Impairment Ratings. We'll get it right.
7. We are work injury experts. If you were hurt at work, you're treatment won't cost you a dime.

Trust WOL+MED.

Denton: (940) 484-7000

Dallas: (972) 572-5000

http://www.wolmed.com/

10 Problems With Your Workers Comp Injury

10 Problems With Your Workers Comp Injury

1. Have your checks been cut off?
2. Is the insurance company saying your injury is not work-related?
3. Have other doctors been unable to help you?
4. Did you have surgery but you’re still in pain?
5. Has your pain lasted for a very long time?
6. Has the doctor you’ve been using been unable to get the job done?
7. Has the doctor you’ve been using acted more like the company’s doctor than your doctor?
8. Are you scared to lose your job if you take off work to get treated?
9. Being unable to work is keeping you from paying your bills.
10. Until now, nobody else seems to care if you get better. WOL+MED CARES!

Believe it or not, these are all very common workers comp problems. Unless you have a doctor who is expert in workers comp, you could be in a lot of trouble. In order to minimize the problems you will have with workers comp, go with a doctor who can get the job done for you.

If you're having any of these problems or you know someone else who is, please let WOL+MED help. Call (940) 484-7000 in Denton or (972) 572-5000 in Dallas.

Visit us on the web at http://www.wolmed.com/.

We want to be your doctor!

WOL+MED Patients Love to Refer Others

The vast majority of new patients at WOL+MED are referred by other patients. It is said that this is the nicest compliment given to a company. So, we want to say THANK YOU. WOL+MED's #1 core value is, "Patients are #1". The very high level of referrals from our patients tells us that our message is being heard. We will continue to be our patients' biggest advocate. In the coming year, our #1 goal is to go above even our normal way of doing business to make our patients say, "WOW!"

If WOL+MED can help you with a work or auto injury, or with a chronic pain condition, please call us in Denton at (940) 484-7000 or in Dallas at (972) 572-5000. Also, please visit us on the web at http://www.wolmed.com/.

We look forward to helping you say, "WOW!"