You’ve been injured on the job, and you can’t work. Maybe it was on the worksite of one of the major public works projects currently underway, like the Groundwater Recharge Basin or City Hall at Waterfront Towers. Regardless of where you are, all you know is that your injury prevents you from working. The bills are piling up. Every doctor you’ve called on the list of workers’ compensation doctors your employer’s insurance company gave you has resulted in the same answer: “Sorry, we’re not accepting new patients.”
What is a “Ghost Network,” and are they intentional?
If you are getting turned away by every doctor on the list supplied by the insurance adjuster, you may be dealing with a “ghost network.” It’s exactly what it sounds like: a directory that doesn’t exist. These phony networks contain doctors who no longer practice, have moved, or flatly do not accept workers’ compensation claims.
The Purpose of “Ghost Networks”
It’s as simple, but infuriating: Insurance companies want you to give up. They give you a list of impossible choices that leave you frustrated and increasingly desperate.
But it doesn’t stop with just mental stress: If the closest doctor is an hour away and you can’t drive, your treatment could be delayed if you aren’t able to find someone to take you. This in turn could lead to more than just unnecessary, prolonged pain; it could worsen your condition the longer it is left untreated.
Is it necessary to hire an experienced workers’ compensation attorney? Absolutely.
Accepting a relatively quick, lowball settlement is what the insurance adjuster wants. Eason & Tambornini’s workers’ compensation attorneys bring the firm’s three decades of experience and over 100 years of combined legal experience. We go beyond the paperwork and deadlines and force the insurance carrier to provide doctors who actually exist and are available. If necessary, we will push for an out-of-network doctor who can deliver the treatment you need and, if necessary, get your surgery scheduled.
Our lead trial attorneys hold AV Preeminent status from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating for legal expertise and ethical standing.
The Stakes: What Happens While You Wait
- The “Utilization Review” Wall: Even if you find a doctor, the insurance company uses a third-party reviewer to deny the treatments that the doctor recommends.
- Financial Ruin: While you’re searching for a doctor, your temporary disability checks might be delayed or miscalculated.
- Lost Evidence: The longer you wait for a medical exam, the easier it is for the insurance company to claim your injury happened somewhere else or dispute the facts.
Navigating the 2026 “Medical Access Assistant”
As of 2026, California Labor Code Section 4616 requires every Medical Provider Network (MPN) to have a “Medical Access Assistant” (MAA). This person is legally obligated to help you find a doctor who is accepting new patients within a specific distance from your home in Stockton.
Most adjusters won’t even tell you about the existence of MAAs. But attorneys like ours who understand the most current 2026 laws will.
Here are some of the stipulations of Labor Code 4616:
- Availability: The MAA must be available via a toll-free number, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday
- Follow-Through: The MAA is legally required to help you find an available doctor, not just provide you with a list of names.
- Active Help: The MAA is legally required to schedule and confirm your appointments if asked.
- Loophole Protection: If the MAA does not find you an appointment with a specialist or doctor within 10 business days, you may be able to use an out-of-network doctor at the insurance company’s expense.
Our “No Win, No Fee” Promise
At our firm, workers’ compensation cases are handled on a contingency basis, which means we only get paid if you are awarded a settlement. If we don’t put money in your pocket, you owe us nothing.
This “No Win, No Fee” promise levels the playing field against multi-million-dollar insurance companies. There is no hourly bill. Your job is to take care of your health, not get hassled by adjusters and chase down ghost networks.
Call Eason & Tambornini at (209) 323-5126 for a free case review. We don’t get paid unless you do, and there is no obligation to hire us. If you have been injured on the job in Stockton you need a Stockton workers’ compensation attorney, especially if your claim has been denied.