The vast majority of people who are receiving workers' compensation benefits are doing all they can to improve their health so they can get back to work. Usually, this involves regular doctor's visits so the physician can recommend treatments to improve the patient's work-related injury or illness. Without medical assistance, it can be difficult for the injured worker to rehabilitate him- or herself.

So it likely would be frustrating when you are unable to visit a doctor because the state workers' compensation commission says you can't. That is what happened to a woman who injured her knee on the job.

The woman had requested a change of physician and the state commission allowed her to see a new doctor. Then her new physician died. The worker alerted the commission and asked for another new doctor.

The problem is that, in the state where the woman lives, people receiving workers' compensation benefits are allowed to make only change of doctor. So now the woman is left without any medical care for her knee injury. Her attorney described the situation as "workers' comp limbo per se" and said there were more than 100 people in the state in a similar situation due to the state law.

A letter from the commission told the woman that the government body was "constrained by the law." But in an interview, the commission's executive officer sympathized with the woman's plight. He said he hoped to reach an agreement soon, but said it would take three to six months to clear up the bureaucratic snafu.

Source: THV-TV, "Workers' Comp won't allow woman a new doctor, even after hers dies," Matt Buhrman, Jan. 11, 2012