LHWCA Doctor Resources

Longshore workers and Shipyard workers are excellent patients for healthcare providers and doctors, including:

• Orthopedic Surgeons
• Neurosurgeons
• Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialists
• Physical Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Chiropractors 

Longshore workers and Shipyard workers are well-paid, highly-skilled workers who are motivated to recover from their injury and return to work.  Additionally, the private insurance provided to Longshore Workers through the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU-PMA) offers comprehensive coverage for the injured worker and pays doctors well.  Many Shipyard workers also have high-quality health care coverage.

However, doctors, offices, hospitals and urgent care centers that are unfamiliar with the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) can be hesitant to take the role as "treating physician" for an injured longshore worker.  In our experience, this hesitance is usually due the differences in the claims process between State Workers Compensation programs and the LHWCA, a completely separate federal workers' compensation program.  

To assist doctors more easily navigate the Longshore Act and the federal workers compensation act system, we have dedicated this section of our website to resources for LHWCA doctors.  Here you will find access to:

• Longshore Act Claims Process Overview (coming soon!)
• LHWCA Doctor FAQs (coming soon!)
• Forms and Download (coming soon!)

Contact a Los Angeles Longshore Act Attorney

If you or your office has any questions about the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, or the claims process, please call our office at 888-440-5829 or we invite you to fill out our ONLINE FORM.