As your Massachusetts workers compensation provider, our agency believes it is important to understand workers comp terms (not just the policy!) Having a thorough understanding and working knowledge of these terms may come in handy some time down the line. Last week, we covered the first half of important terms to know. This week, we have five more to go over:

#1: Gatekeeper: A “gatekeeper” refers to the physician who is required to give approval to the patient before seeking special medical treatment.

#2: Functional Capacity Evaluation: Refers to the testing of an employee’s specific physical activities (lifting, bending, pulling, pushing, etc.) This evaluation will determine what the employee can or cannot handle on the job.

#3: Handicapped: A general definition of handicapped means there is an impairment that can be overcome by some sort of reasonable accommodation.

#4: Impairment: Refers to something that is physically wrong with an employee.

#5: Exacerbation: Refers to a TEMPORARY flare-up of something that is associated with a pre-existing medical issue or condition. Again, it is only temporary and should be normal after a short period of time.

For more information and workers compensation terminology, be sure to check out www.workerscompensation.com!

If you are looking for more information on Massachusetts workers compensation specifically, contact our local insurance agency. We look forward to answering your questions and providing you with a free quote!