(210) 995-4430
Center for Injured Workers, Inc.
A Non-Profit Corporation
46 Ways CIW Helps Injured Workers
The Center for Injured Workers, Inc. (CIW) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation located in San Antonio, Texas.  CIW is the leading advocate
organization dedicated to helping employees injured in the course and scope of employment safeguard workers' compensation benefits through
education and training developed through specific information gathering efforts.  CIW also provides case review and assessment, case intervention,
and marketing services to health care providers so they can provide more efficient and effective treatment to their workers’ compensation patients.


CIW can help you by:

  1. Thoroughly reviewing your workers' compensation case to ensure the injury is compensable, the status of the claim,
    and the options available to you;
  2. Educating you on the basics of workers' compensation so you can make knowledgeable decisions when seeking
    entitlement to workers' compensation because knowledge is power;
  3. Training you on crucial rules that need to be complied with so you won't inadvertently lose your right to workers'
    compensation benefits;
  4. Assisting you in problem areas so you can successfully protect your rights under the Texas Workers' Compensation
    Act;
  5. Help you select a treating doctor that knows and understands the type of treatment needed in your specific case and
    who is willing to refer you to a consulting and/or referral doctor and to appropriate diagnostics to expedite recovery so
    you can safely return to work in the most expedient manner;
  6. Explain to you how to arrange and keep your health care documentation and how to ensure that any doctor treating
    you examines and documents the injured areas you are complaining about;
  7. Help you with the change of treating doctor if you are not getting any improvement or recovery of your injury within a
    reasonable time;
  8. Monitor your progress and treatment from your health care provider(s) and insurance carrier health care provider(s) to
    protect your right to reasonable and necessary health care;
  9. Calculate the TIBs, IIBs, and SIBs amounts to verify that you are receiving the correct amounts.
  10. Double check your comp checks to ensure you are receiving the right amount of indemnity benefits;
  11. Explain to you your options and what to expect when the insurance carrier directs you to a Required Medical
    Examination (there is no such thing as an Independent Medical Examination under the Workers’ Compensation Act);
  12. Explain to you your options, what to expect, and what documentation to deliver to the Designated Doctor when the
    Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) orders you to be examined by a Division-assigned Designated Doctor;
  13. Explain to you your rights, what to document, and what you can do when you are examined by an RME or
    Designated Doctor;
  14. Explain to you what the Designated Doctor needs to examine and evaluate to obtain the appropriate impairment
    rating and maximum medical impairment date;
  15. Explain to you what action you need to take to dispute a low impairment rating;
  16. Make you aware of changes in the Workers' Compensation Act that impact the benefits you are entitled to;
  17. Educate you on the difference between representation by an attorney and assistance by an Ombudsman from the
    Office of Injured Employee Counsel and what this can mean in the successful resolution through the Division of
    Workers' Compensation dispute resolution process;
  18. Educate you on what a Benefit Review Conference (BRC) is, what documentation you need to exchange, how to
    comport yourself and present your issues, and what to point out with regards to your compensable injury;
  19. Educate you on what a Contested Case Hearing (CCH) is, the necessity of being represented by an attorney, what
    documents your attorney must exchange and the time period, who to exchange documents with, how to solicit
    witnesses, what to expect and how to comport yourself at the CCH, and what the time-table for action from the
    Hearing Officer is;
  20. Educate you on what a Request for Review by DWC’s Appeals Panel entails, what the time line is, why
    representation is crucial, and when you can expect a response from the Appeals Panel.
  21. Educate you on your options if you wish to seek remedies through judicial review (take your case to District Court);
  22. Make you aware of wrongful termination scenarios and help you decide whether to file with EEOC.
  23. Explain to you your options if you are involved in third party case (involved in a vehicle accident while in the course
    and scope of employment);
  24. Explain to you what may constitute an "Election of Remedies" while seeking medical benefits under the workers'
    compensation system.  This happens when you are being denied workers’ compensation benefits and you seek
    medical treatment from a doctor in your health insurance program or through your short/long term disability insurance
    provider;
  25. Explain to you the difference between an employer subscriber, non-subscriber, self-insured or self-funded, and
    employers who offer or require an employee to provide occupational insurance;
  26. Point out other applicable DWC deadlines;
  27. Review and explain applicable DWC forms you need to complete;
  28. Gather information from your WC insurance adjuster, health care provider(s), employer, DWC staff members,
    attorney, and others, who may be involved in the recovery or resolution of any issue(s) arising from your compensable
    injury so we can properly teach and educate you;
  29. Help you understand when you encounter denial of prescription medication and/or diagnostic testing;
  30. Let you know of the consequences if you elect a "lump sum settlement" by commuting the remainder of your
    impairment income benefits;
  31. Teach you what you need to do if you are entitled to Supplemental Income Benefits (SIBs), to help you properly meet
    the requirements by properly seeking employment, getting current health care diagnosis and/or reports from doctors
    treating you, and filing documents in time;
  32. Review documentation and ensure compliance with DWC requirements if you receive a bona fide job offer;
  33. Work with you, if the need arises, so you can properly prepare your paperwork to get assistance from the Division of
    Rehabilitative Services, Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (formerly Texas Rehabilitation
    Commission);
  34. Work with you, if the need arises, so you can properly prepare your paperwork to seek qualification under the
    Americans with Disabilities Act;
  35. Work with you, if the need arises, so you can properly prepare your paperwork to seek benefits under the Social
    Security Administration Act;
  36. Work with you, if the need arises, so you can properly prepare your paperwork to seek financial and/or economic
    assistance from local social services organizations;
  37. Support your health care provider with peer review strategies if your provider requests such help;
  38. Support your health care provider with pre-authorization strategies if your provider requests such help;
  39. Review case documents, if requested by health care provider or attorney, to help develop case presentation of factual
    medical records to show by the preponderance of the evidence that you have sustained a compensable injury, are
    entitled to disputed reasonable and necessary health care, or whatever issue the insurance carrier may dispute or
    deny;
  40. Investigate the accident and extenuating circumstances, if so requested by your employer or health care provider, to
    substantiate the occurrence of your compensable injury through factual evidence;
  41. Help you understand what you need to do to file and process the reasonableness and necessity of health care
    through DWC's Medical Review Section;
  42. Help you understand how to file with DWC’s Compliance and Practices Section legitimate complaints against the
    insurance carrier, the adjuster, Commission staff members, or others who may unjustly attempt to deny, dispute, or
    delay your entitlement to workers' compensation benefits as prescribed by the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act or
    Administrative Rules of DWC;
  43. Help you understand how to keep you abreast of the status of your case, your options, and what action you need to
    take to safeguard your workers’ compensation benefits;
  44. Present training sessions and seminars on practical workers' compensation strategies to health care providers and
    their staff so they can provide you better service;
  45. Provide health care provider marketing services, as requested, to include the use of letters, flyers, posters, cards,
    newspaper, door hangers, radio program, internet media, and television spots; and
  46. Answer your questions when you call CIW at 210-995-4430 or send a fax to 210-257-8161.
CIW
CONSULTING
SERVICES