OMBUDSMAN SERVICES
WHAT IS AN OMBUDSMAN?
An Ombudsman is a specially trained employee of the Office of Injured Employee Counsel (OIEC) who can assist you if you have a dispute with your employer's insurance carrier free of charge. Each OIEC ombudsman has a workers' compensation insurance claims adjuster's license and has completed a comprehensive training program designed specifically for OIEC ombudsmen. Ombudsman services are provided at no cost to injured employees.
The ombudsman can answer questions you have regarding your dispute (by calling 1-866-EZE-OIEC). And, upon request, the ombudsman can:
- Help you prepare for benefit review conferences;
- Help you prepare for benefit contested case hearings;
- Attend benefit review conferences and benefit contested cases hearing with you and communicate on your behalf with the parties, and;
- Help you prepare appeals and answer carrier appeals to the appeals panel of the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation.