Many Polish Americans from Garfield, Wallington and Linden work in New York and, after a job injury, end up commuting across the Hudson for treatment. Dr. Dariusz Nasiek explains why, under New York Workers’ Compensation, the patient picks the doctor and care can happen in New Jersey.
A daily commute and a common misconception
Every morning, thousands of Polish Americans leave Garfield, Wallington, Clifton and Linden for jobs at New York construction sites, buildings and businesses. When an accident happens, many of them assume they have to be treated wherever the employer or the insurance company sends them, often on the New York side of the Hudson. Dr. Dariusz Nasiek of Allied Neurology & Interventional Pain Practice, P.C. says that assumption is wrong.
Who chooses the doctor under New York Workers’ Compensation
Which system applies depends on where the accident took place. If the injury happened in New York State, the case is handled by New York Workers’ Compensation, even though the injured worker lives in New Jersey.
As Dr. Nasiek explains, New York follows a rule many people have never heard of: the patient chooses the treating doctor. The employer does not make that call, and neither does the insurer. The doctor you choose does not need an office in Manhattan; New Jersey, a few minutes from home, works just as well, and the cost of care is paid by the employer’s insurance as part of the case.
He adds that someone who is already being treated somewhere else can, in most cases, switch doctors.
What commuting to appointments really costs
Recovery from a spine, shoulder, knee or head injury often stretches over many months. Follow-ups, injections and tests can come up several times a month. For the patient, every trip into New York means:
- hours in traffic, or on buses and the subway,
- bridge and tunnel tolls plus parking,
- a day off for a family member who has to do the driving,
- pain, because a long car ride with an injured spine simply hurts.
According to Dr. Nasiek, a worn-out patient is more likely to skip appointments. Every missed visit slows recovery and weakens the documentation in the case. Getting care close to home leaves more energy for healing and getting back to normal life.
Why medical documentation matters for your benefits
In a Workers’ Compensation case, good treatment alone is not enough. Medical reports have to be accurate, filed on time and in line with Workers’ Compensation Board requirements, because the patient’s benefits depend on them.
Dr. Nasiek is formally authorized by the NY Workers’ Compensation Board, and for years his practice has cared for patients with New York Workers’ Compensation claims at its Rego Park office in Queens. The team knows New York’s Medical Treatment Guidelines, the forms and the Board’s requirements. The same standard of care applies at the practice’s New Jersey offices in Englewood, Garfield, Elizabeth and East Orange. Patients there can expect:
- a full pain workup and neurological exam,
- modern interventional pain management,
- evaluation of head injuries and concussions,
- thorough medical reports for the Board and their attorney,
- care in Polish.
How to move your care closer to home
The first step is a phone call to the practice. The staff reviews the details of the case, explains how to transfer treatment and books a visit at the office closest to the patient’s home. For people who do not have an attorney yet, the practice helps them get in touch with experienced lawyers.
Dr. Nasiek also has a few words for attorneys representing clients who live in New Jersey. Gaps in treatment caused by difficult commutes show up in the medical record and, in turn, in the whole case. The practice proposes care near where the client lives, delivered by a physician with NY WCB authorization who follows New York’s guidelines. That care includes timely reports as well as evaluations of causality and degree of disability. New patients are usually seen within a few days.
About the doctor
Dr. Dariusz Nasiek, MD, brings more than 35 years of experience and triple board certification (Board-Certified Anesthesiologist, Board-Certified in Pain Medicine, Board-Certified Interventional Pain Physician). He is formally authorized by the NY Workers’ Compensation Board and co-wrote “Brain Impact,” which covers brain injuries sustained in accidents.
His practice, Allied Neurology & Interventional Pain Practice, P.C., focuses on pain management, neurology, head injuries and concussion, and medical documentation.
Your injury. Your case. Your choice of doctor.
- Offices: Englewood (185 Grand Avenue), Garfield, Elizabeth, East Orange (NJ) and Rego Park and Washington Heights (NY)
- Phone: 201-894-1313
- www.alliedspineinstitute.com, contact our office
This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace an individual medical consultation or legal advice. For legal matters, consult an attorney.
