Under the Florida Workers’ Compensation Law, the employer chooses all authorized treating physicians. However, if the employee is unhappy with their choice of treating physician, then they have a right to a one-time change in treating physician.
The employee must request this one-time change, usually in writing, and the employer has five days to select a new physician. If the employer selects the physician within five days, then the employer chooses the new physician. However, if the employer/carrier does not select a physician within five days, then the employee is entitled to select the treating physician.
Please note that you are only entitled to a change in treating physician for one time during the entire course of treatment. As such, at the Law Office of J.J. Talbott, we recommend that our clients do not select a change in treating physician early on in the case as it may be necessary to change doctors at a later date.