ILA
Summit Survey

Share Your Experience

Your answers help us identify patterns in injury, claims, treatment, and support needs. This is not legal advice—responses inform summit planning and advocacy.

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Your Role
Your Rights: Choosing a Doctor

Plain language

Under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), injured workers often have the right to choose or change their treating physician in certain situations. How that works in practice can depend on your claim, your employer or carrier, and timing. This survey does not give legal advice—it helps us see whether workers understood the choices available to them.

Before today, did you understand your rights regarding doctor choice? *

Community & Loss

Do you know someone who passed away as a result of a longshore work-related injury or accident? *

Injury History

Have you ever been injured while working as a longshore worker? *

Hearing Loss Claims

Have you ever filed or considered filing a hearing-loss claim related to your longshore work? *

Claims & Treatment

Have you experienced issues with the workers' compensation claims process? *

Were you ever denied workers' compensation benefits after reporting an injury?

Was your workers' compensation payment ever cut off?

Was your medical treatment ever cut off or interrupted?

Was your claim ever successfully resolved or settled?

Which of the following issues apply? (select all that apply)

If your injury lasted more than three weeks, were you able to keep your job and, if you held a leadership role (such as a header or foreman), did you retain that position?

Following your injury, were you referred to a doctor to screen your injuries?

After your injury, did you continue with the company's doctor or choose your own doctor?

Were you given the opportunity to select your own doctor? (as you understood it at the time)

Was a nurse or representative from the company present during any of your doctor visits?

Would you have felt better if an ILA representative had also been present?

Are you worried about your ability to maintain your lifestyle due to your injuries?

What is the proper procedure to report your injuries while on the job?

Workers' Comp, Benefits & Support

Were you placed on your company's workers compensation plan?

While you were out due to injury, did you use any Pension and Welfare option or advance benefit to help cover your expenses? (This can include loans, advances, or other union welfare support—not only subrogation.)

If you were not offered your company's workers compensation package, were you offered a subrogation or similar plan through your local welfare or pension fund?

Did you sign any non-employment agreement with your previous company or any other?

When you returned to work, were you anxious to speak about your injury?

If you are currently injured and seeking legal action due to your workers' compensation claim, how long have you been working on your case?

Additional Comments