Tag Archives: Medical Care


Low Back Pain is Leading Cause of Occupational Disability
By Jason Weinstock on December 23, 2015

According to the Department of Labor, low back pain accounts for one-third of all occupational mesculoskekletal injuries and illnesses resulting in work disability.  A recent article in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, December 2015,  states that two thirds of low back pain cases return to work within 1 month, but a substantial number … Continue reading Low Back Pain is Leading Cause of Occupational Disability

Misdiagnosis and Traumatic Brain Injuries
By Jason Weinstock on December 11, 2015

I am attaching a good article from another law firm on the Misdiagnosis and Traumatic Brain Injuries.  With injured workers often receiving sub-optimal medical care even when they can speak up and voice complaints, the worker with a brain injury is at greater risk of not getting appropriate care.   If you question whether a loved … Continue reading Misdiagnosis and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Physician Progress Report: Get one every doctor visit
By Jason Weinstock on May 27, 2015

Following every visit to your authorized treating doctor, be sure to ask the doctor or his assistant for a copy of the doctor’s physician progress report.  There is a DIR-approved form that most doctors use, although some have modified the form to include their office address, phone number, and have slightly different boxes for slightly … Continue reading Physician Progress Report: Get one every doctor visit


Choose Your Doctor Legislation: Need Testimony and Letters
By Jason Weinstock on March 9, 2015

Nevada injured workers can do something about the current law that limits their choice of treating doctors to those on their industrial insurers’ provider lists. The Nevada Chiropractic Association has sponsored a bill, AB 187, that would amend current law and would allow injured workers to treat with a doctor who is willing to accept … Continue reading Choose Your Doctor Legislation: Need Testimony and Letters

Peripheral Nerve Physician in Las Vegas: Tim Tollestrup
By Jason Weinstock on March 9, 2015

There was a lengthy article in the Las Vegas Review Journal today about the only peripheral nerve surgeon in Las Vegas, Nevada- Tim Tollestrup, M.D. I wrote about meeting him previously in a post in October 2012. Since then, I’ve had half a dozen workers compensation claimants treat with him, with excellent results. Additionally, he … Continue reading Peripheral Nerve Physician in Las Vegas: Tim Tollestrup

Help! Prevent Terrible Changes to Work Comp
By Jason Weinstock on March 5, 2015

  The Nevada legislature meets only once every other year, and this year doesn’t look good for the changes that could gut benefits for Nevada’s injured workers. The amendment so many of us committed work comp attorneys hoped would get out of the senate committee on commerce and labor and to the legislature for a … Continue reading Help! Prevent Terrible Changes to Work Comp


IME Docs’ Perspective
By Jason Weinstock on November 9, 2014

 This past weekend (November 7-9, 2014), I spoke twice at a conference of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.  Orthopedic doctors from various states attending the particular sessions I taught were mostly older, and many were hired by industrial insurance adjusters to do independent medical exams on claims where attorneys were involved.   I had … Continue reading IME Docs’ Perspective

Injured Workers Wrongfully Billed for Medical Care
By Jason Weinstock on November 6, 2014

 If you are an injured worker with an accepted workers’ compensation claim in Nevada, you should not be receiving bills from hospitals, radiologists, labs, doctors, or physical therapists for treatment that was authorized by your adjuster. In fact, it is against the law for medical providers  on claims they know are accepted to bill the … Continue reading Injured Workers Wrongfully Billed for Medical Care

Nevada Insurers Often Wrong About Pre-existing Conditions
By Jason Weinstock on October 7, 2014

 Any injured worker over the age of 30 with a serious work injury is likely to find some reference in  his or her medical records to degeneration of the body part being examined.  Degenerative disc disease, for example, is actually a normal  part of the aging process.  But insurers and their third-party administrators start to … Continue reading Nevada Insurers Often Wrong About Pre-existing Conditions


Dr. Maureen Mackey Dies
By Jason Weinstock on August 15, 2014

One of the best physicians to care for Nevada’s injured workers died recently following a long battle with cancer. I first met Dr. Maureen Mackey when I was working as an attorney for the State Industrial Insurance System, and she was employed as a physical rehabilitation doctor for the Jean Hanna Clark Rehabilitation Center in … Continue reading Dr. Maureen Mackey Dies

Bad Law on Doctor Choice for Nevada Injured Workers
By Jason Weinstock on July 17, 2014

 Change Needed to Nevada’s Law on Physician Choice for Injured Workers A.     A Short History of the Law In 1913, Nevada first enacted the Nevada Industrial Insurance Act and the Nevada Occupational Disease Act, now known as NRS Chapters 616A-D, and NRS Chapter 617.  It was administered by the NIC (Nevada Industrial Commission).   The NIC … Continue reading Bad Law on Doctor Choice for Nevada Injured Workers

What To Do About Delays In Getting Medical Care
By Jason Weinstock on June 24, 2014

  1. First, know how long the adjuster has to approve or deny your doctor’s request.  Your adjuster has 30 days to accept or deny your Nevada work comp claim.  Expect only emergency care and clinic visits in the interim.  If your doctor doesn’t think that diagnostic tests or treatment are necessary now, your only … Continue reading What To Do About Delays In Getting Medical Care


Injured Workers Should Get Their Medical Records
By Jason Weinstock on May 18, 2014

All injured workers should get a copy of their medical records at some point.  Remember that your employer is being copied by the adjuster on all his/her letters to you and on some of your medical records.  You should know what your doctor says about you and your injury, particularly if you are having problems … Continue reading Injured Workers Should Get Their Medical Records

Dr. Dettling Talks About Shoulder/Knee Work Injuries
By Jason Weinstock on May 7, 2014

Orthopedic surgeon James Dettling, M.D. specializes in shoulder and knee injuries.  About half his patients are injured workers treating under a Nevada workers’ comp claim.   He and long-time medical assistant, Patrick Boland, and their indispensable office manager, Diane,  stopped by my office today to meet my assistants and to chat over lunch.  I’ve known Dr. … Continue reading Dr. Dettling Talks About Shoulder/Knee Work Injuries

Physical Therapist Karen Crawford Knows Nevada’s Injured Workers (And She Cares!)
By Jason Weinstock on January 29, 2014

One of the benefits of being self-employed  and writing my own blog is that I can express my opinion  on what is right with Nevada’s workers’ compensation system, and what needs improvement or overhauling.  I accept no "favors" from medical providers I mention as providing superior service to injured workers.  I like to let hurt employees … Continue reading Physical Therapist Karen Crawford Knows Nevada’s Injured Workers (And She Cares!)


How to Stop Getting Medical Bills on Your Nevada Work Comp Claim
By Jason Weinstock on November 8, 2013

  Injured workers with accepted workers’ compensation claims should not be getting bills for medical treatment from  hospitals, doctors, an anesthesiologist, or radiologist.  You know whether you have an accepted claim or not by whether you have received a letter from your self-insured employer or from a third-party administrator that says your claim is accepted. … Continue reading How to Stop Getting Medical Bills on Your Nevada Work Comp Claim

Concussions from Work Accidents
By Jason Weinstock on November 6, 2013

Obtaining appropriate medical treatment for  post-concussive symptoms  from a work accident can be as frustrating as the symptoms of a concussion.  A concussion is the term use to generally describe a head injury that may or may not result in the loss of consciousness.  It is unusual for someone who has a severe blow to … Continue reading Concussions from Work Accidents

What Happens When You Refuse Treatment on Your Work Comp Claim
By Jason Weinstock on July 1, 2013

 Nevada injured workers with neck or back injuries frequently ask about what will happen to their claim if they refuse a particular treatment recommendation.   Usually those Nevada injured workers have not noticed improvement in their neck or back injuries after several sessions of physical therapy, medication  and job restrictions. Their treating doctor may then refer the patient … Continue reading What Happens When You Refuse Treatment on Your Work Comp Claim


Common Spine Surgeries for Injured Workers
By Jason Weinstock on May 27, 2013

 Before an injured worker undergoes a neck or back surgery, he or she should be familiar with a few medical terms and what specific procedure the surgeon is recommending.   Ask your doctor to write down the name of the surgery, and have him explain exactly what will be done.  If you or your adjuster … Continue reading Common Spine Surgeries for Injured Workers

Does An Injured Worker Have to Go to Their Doctor?
By Jason Weinstock on March 10, 2013

     Injured employees in Nevada have a limited right to choose a treating doctor.  The workers’ compensation insurer or third-party administrator for the employer has a list of doctors that have contracted to provide medical care at reduced fees.  Once the injured worker’s claim is accepted, he or she has the right to ask for a … Continue reading Does An Injured Worker Have to Go to Their Doctor?

More Unfair Tactics Against Nevada’s Injured Workers
By Jason Weinstock on March 2, 2013

 The most important benefit under the Nevada workers’ compensation system is the injured employee’s right to get medical treatment.  I have prior blog posts about the limitations on that right that are written into Nevada law, such as the limited right to choose a treating doctor.  I also just wrote about insurers’ attempts to deny … Continue reading More Unfair Tactics Against Nevada’s Injured Workers


Change Doctors NOW !!
By Jason Weinstock on January 6, 2013

Nevada law requires third-party administrators and self-insurers of workers’ compensation claims to send accepted claimants a notice of their right to choose a different doctor from the appropriate provider list.  Not all TPA’s and insurers are sending this notice.  If they do send it, most injured workers don’t read or understand how important it is … Continue reading Change Doctors NOW !!

Chronic Pain: New Help with Peripheral Nerve Surgery
By Jason Weinstock on October 13, 2012

A featured speaker at the WILG convention today was Dr. Tim Tollestrup, M.D., a Las Vegas physician who specializes in peripheral nerve surgery.    Dr. Tollestrup had recently operated successfully on one of my clients with a crush injury to his foot,  so I was interested in knowing more about him and his approach to treating … Continue reading Chronic Pain: New Help with Peripheral Nerve Surgery

Problems Obtaining Prescription Drugs
By Jason Weinstock on April 18, 2012

If your claim is accepted and your authorized treating physician prescribes medication for you, but your pharmacist tells you that there is a problem, follow these steps   1. Have a copy of your claim acceptance letter with your claim number and name and address of your third-party administrator or insurer in hand when you … Continue reading Problems Obtaining Prescription Drugs


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