A workers compensation claim can become more difficult when the injury report does not clearly explain when, where, and how the accident occurred. This is particularly important with hand, wrist, and finger injuries because pain, weakness, or loss of coordination may develop gradually after the initial event. An insurer may question whether the condition came […]
Travel to authorized medical care can create repeated costs during a workers’ compensation claim. A reliable request connects each trip to covered treatment and uses the current Industrial Commission form and applicable rate rather than an estimate.
Medical travel should be documented trip by trip with the treatment date, authorized provider, purpose, starting point, destination, round-trip distance, transportation method, parking or toll receipt, and payment history.
Confirm that the trip relates to medical compensation
G.S. 97-2(19) includes “sick travel” within medical compensation that may reasonably be required to effect a cure, give relief, or lessen disability. G.S. 97-25 addresses the employer’s obligation to provide medical compensation and the procedures for authorized care.
- Identify the accepted injury, claim number, employer, carrier or administrator, and authorized provider
- Match the trip to an examination, treatment, therapy, diagnostic test, pharmacy, equipment fitting, or other authorized medical purpose
- Keep the appointment confirmation, attendance record, provider note, referral, authorization, and any cancellation or rescheduling notice
- Separate ordinary commuting, personal errands, attorney meetings, hearings, and nonauthorized care from medical travel unless a different rule or order applies
Create a contemporaneous trip log
- Date, time, provider, address, medical purpose, and whether the trip was completed
- Starting address, destination, route, one-way and round-trip miles, and the source used to calculate distance
- Personal vehicle, family vehicle, rideshare, taxi, public transit, medical transport, ambulance, or other method
- Parking, tolls, fares, lodging, meals, or attendant travel claimed, with receipts and the basis for requesting each item
- Request date, delivery proof, amount requested, amount paid, check or transaction date, and any stated objection
Use the same method for repeated appointments. If the starting point changes because of work, relocation, or temporary lodging, record the actual address and reason. Do not round every trip to the same number or include canceled appointments as completed travel.
Use the current form and rate
The Industrial Commission’s forms directory identifies Form 25T as the itemized statement of travel charges. Obtain the current version and verify the applicable mileage rate and instructions for the trip dates. A rate can change over time, so a current figure should not be applied automatically to an earlier trip.
Address transportation needs before the appointment
A worker who cannot drive, lacks a vehicle, needs accessible transport, or must travel a substantial distance should raise the issue before care is missed. Provide the appointment, medical limitation, pickup and destination information, available options, cost estimate, and time needed for authorization.
Emergency transport, an out-of-area referral, overnight travel, an attendant, or repeated distant care may require facts beyond an ordinary mileage log. Preserve the medical reason, provider recommendation, alternatives considered, authorization request, response, and actual expense.
Reconcile unpaid or disputed travel
Compare the submitted log with payments line by line. Identify an omitted trip, incorrect distance, wrong rate, duplicate, unsupported charge, or disputed authorization. Send a concise correction with source documents and retain proof of delivery instead of resubmitting a different unexplained total.
The related North Carolina workers’ compensation documentation checklist provides a broader system for medical, work, wage, payment, communication, and deadline records.
Rosensteel Fleishman Car Accident & Injury Lawyers provides information about discussing unpaid medical travel with a Charlotte workers’ compensation attorney. A review should use the current form, trip-level proof, applicable rate, payment ledger, and any authorization dispute.
Sources
Additional Workers Compensation Articles
North Carolina Workplace Fall-Hazard Review: Surfaces, Access, and Training
A workplace fall-hazard review starts with the route and task, then separates surface conditions, access, interim protection, corrective action, and training. This is general safety information for general-industry workplaces. It does not diagnose a worker, decide whether a standard applies to a particular task, or determine fault, benefits, or claim outcomes. Map the route and […]
Discharge Planning Workplace Recovery Before Returning to Regular Job Duties
Discharge from a hospital, rehabilitation program, therapy course, or other treatment setting does not necessarily mean an employee can resume every prior task. A safe transition requires written clinical instructions and an accurate comparison with the actual job. A discharge plan should convert clinical status into a safe and traceable transition: current diagnoses, medication, equipment, […]
Breathing Techniques Workplace Recovery After Stressful Injury Setbacks
How can simple breathing habits affect the way a workplace injury claim moves forward? When someone is recovering from an injury at work, stress can build quickly, especially when medical updates, employer communication, wage concerns, and insurance questions all seem to happen at once. Breathing techniques workplace recovery can be a practical part of staying […]
