Legal Question in Workers Comp in Virginia

Yes. His employer is still liable for the injury but you may have a fight on your hands about paying for the doctor he went to for the diagnosis of a herniated disk. From what you describe, you may have a good legal argument to force the insurance company to pay for this doctor but you will need an experienced workers' compensation attorney to accomplish this. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.

If two years have not already elapsed since your boyfriend incurred this

injury on the job, he should file ASAP his claim for workman's compensation

(if he has not already done so).

You said the injury happened a couple of years ago. Under Virginia law, a claim must be filed within two (2) years of the date of the accident. If your boyfriend did not file a claim, then he may have waited too long. However, if his employer never filed an accident report with the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission this could excuse the late filing of the claim. If it took you two (2) years to find out he had ruptured discs in his back he may have an evidentiary problem. He may not be able to get a doctor to say the accident he had two (2) years ago caused the rutured discs that were just found. He may have a real problem establishing "medical causation" btween the accident and the ruptured discs. Check my website at www.virginiadisabilitylawyer.com.