Georgetown University v. District of Columbia Department of Employment Services

# Georgetown University v. District of Columbia Department of Employment Services ## What Happened An injured worker at Georgetown University filed a workers' compensation claim seeking temporary total disability benefits. The case centered on which doctor's medical opinion should carry the most weight in determining the worker's condition and ability to work. Two physicians had treated the injured worker, but the decision-maker initially recognized only one of them as the "treating physician." ## What the Court Decided The court found this approach was wrong. The judge ruled that both doctors qualified as treating physicians under the law and should have been given equal consideration. The case was sent back to be reconsidered with proper attention to both physicians' medical opinions. ## Why This Matters for Workers This ruling protects injured workers' rights to have their medical care properly evaluated. When multiple doctors treat you, their collective expertise matters. Employers or insurance companies cannot simply ignore one doctor's opinion in favor of another. Workers deserve fair consideration of all medical evidence from all treating doctors when fighting for benefits.