Should You Sign a Medical Records Release After a Work Injury in DC?
Short answer: No.
If an insurance adjuster asks you to sign a medical records release after a work injury, don’t do it—not before talking to a DC workers’ compensation lawyer.
Why? Because the form they give you isn’t limited to the injury you’re dealing with now. It gives them full access to your entire medical history—sometimes even your family history—and they will use it to find anything they think they can blame instead of your job.
How Preexisting Conditions Are Used Against You
Even though preexisting conditions don’t disqualify you from workers’ comp in DC, insurance companies will try to use them against you.
If your job made an old condition worse—even one you didn’t know about—you may still qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. But the insurance company won’t make it easy. They’ll look for anything in your past to shift the blame.
Here Are Some Examples of How Preexisting Conditions Are Used Against You
Watch the video explanation here to see how adjusters use your history to delay or deny claims.
- You fractured your ankle lifting equipment at work — but they bring up a football injury from 10 years ago.
- You tore your shoulder on the job — and they ask about a positive drug test from 2005.
- You need surgery after a fall at work — and they bring up your family history of diabetes.
None of this has anything to do with your current injury. But they’ll still try to use it to deny or delay your workers’ comp claim.
They Will Make It Sound Mandatory — But It’s Not
Adjusters and nurse case managers often say you have to sign their forms to get benefits. That’s not true.
You are allowed to send them only the records they actually need—like your doctor’s notes about your work injury. If you hurt your shoulder, they don’t need to see old records about your back or knee.
You Can Still Get Workers’ Comp With a Preexisting Condition
We’ve helped many clients whose jobs aggravated a preexisting condition—people who had no symptoms until a work injury made it worse. That still qualifies under DC workers’ comp law. What matters is whether the injury at work caused you to need treatment or miss time from your job.
Don’t Sign Anything Until You Know Your Rights
If you’re being asked to sign a blanket medical release after a DC work injury, talk to us first. At Donahoe Kearney, we help injured workers protect their rights and get the workers’ comp benefits they deserve.
Call us at 202-393-3320 or fill out this form here to get started.