Valdez v. EMPLOYERS INS. CO. OF NEV

**Court Rules Against Injured Worker in Nevada Medical Care Dispute** This case involved a worker named Valdez who was injured on the job in 1987 and filed a workers' compensation claim with his employer, Employers Insurance Company of Nevada. The dispute centered on whether Valdez could choose any doctor he wanted for his treatment, or whether he had to pick from a specific network of doctors chosen by the insurance company's managed-care organization. Valdez argued he should be able to see any qualified physician for his work-related injuries. The insurance company said he had to follow newer managed-care rules that required him to select a doctor only from their approved network of healthcare providers. The Nevada Supreme Court sided with the insurance company. The court ruled that the managed-care physician selection requirements applied to Valdez's older 1987 claim, even though these rules were created after his injury occurred. This meant Valdez was required to choose his treating physician from the insurance company's contracted network of doctors. **What this means for workers:** This decision shows that insurance companies can sometimes apply newer, more restrictive healthcare rules to older workers' compensation claims. Workers may have less choice in selecting their doctors for work-related injuries, even for claims that predate current managed-care requirements.