Rehabilitation Benefits and the Assistance of a Qualified Rehabilitation Consultant (QRC)

One of the most frequently overlooked benefits available to injured workers is the assistance of a Qualified Rehabilitation Consultant (QRC).

If you are having problems performing your job duties because of your work injury, or if your employer has terminated you or laid you off because they do not have work within your restrictions, you may be entitled to the assistance of a Qualified Rehabilitation Consultant (QRC). A QRC is a licensed professional who provides vocational rehabilitation services to injured workers.

If you have a work injury and need help getting back to work, the assistance of a QRC may be useful to you. If you are injured on the job, you have the right to request a consultation with a QRC at any time. At the consultation, the QRC will determine if you are a “qualified employee,” which means an

employee who, because of the effects of a work-related injury or disease, whether or not combined with the effects of a prior injury or disability:

• A. is permanently precluded or is likely to be permanently precluded from engaging in the employee's usual and customary occupation or from engaging in the job the employee held at the time of injury;
• B. cannot reasonably be expected to return to suitable gainful employment with the date-of injury employer; and
• C. can reasonably be expected to return to suitable gainful employment through the provision of rehabilitation services, considering the treating physician's opinion of the employee's work ability.

If you are found to be a qualified employee, the QRC works with you, your employer, your medical providers, and the workers’ compensation insurance company to help you get back to suitable gainful employment. QRC’s also provide medical management services, transferable skills analysis, vocational testing, ergonomic job modification, job seeking skills training, resume preparation, and job development and placement.

Your employer or the workers’ compensation insurance company may assign a QRC to your case. You have the right, however, to choose your own QRC. If you have already been assigned a QRC, you can request a change of QRC’s within 60 days of filing of the Rehabilitation Plan (R-2) with the Department of Labor and Industry. After 60 days, you can change QRC’s if all parties agree.

It is important that you exercise your right to choose your own QRC. Frankly, some QRC’s are better than others. A QRC assigned by your employer and the insurer may not have your best interests in mind. A good QRC looks out for your best interests.

If you have a work injury that is interfering with your ability to work and you would like the assistance of a QRC, or if you are unhappy with the QRC assigned by your employer or insurer, give us a call at 877-746-5680 or click here to send us an email to schedule a free consultation. We can help you get a consultation with a Qualified Rehabilitation Consultant who will look out for your best interests.

Visit our workers' compensation website at MeuserLaw.com!