What to do if employees are injured at work but refuse medical care

Q         What are our legal obligations to an employee who fell and injured himself at work but refused medical attention when the ambulance arrived?

Even when an employee refuses medical treatment after a work injury, you should notify your workers’ compensation carrier. You should also follow your standard protocols for workplace injuries, including investigation and drug testing of the injured employee as part of company policy and/or the workers’ comp procedure.

Simply put, you shouldn’t allow an employee’s “current” refusal of care to place you in a vulnerable position if he later seeks care and/or proceeds with a workers’ comp claim.

Martin J. Regimbal is a shareholder of the Kullman Firm in Columbus, Mississippi. He may be reached at mjr@kullmanlaw.com.