Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923
11. Medical examination
(1) Where a workman has given notice of an accident he shall if
the employer before the expiry of three days from the time at which service of
the notice has been effected offers to have him examined free of charge by a
qualified medical practitioner submit himself for such examination and any
workman who is in receipt of a half-monthly payment under this Act shall if so
required submit himself for such examination from time to time :
Provided that a workman shall not be required to submit
himself for examination by a medical practitioner otherwise than in accordance
with rules made under this Act or at more frequent intervals than may be
prescribed.
(2) If a workman on being required to do so by employer under
sub-section (1) or by the Commissioner at any time refuses to submit himself
for examination by a qualified medical practitioner or in any way obstructs the
same his right to compensation shall be suspended during the continuance of
such refusal or obstruction unless in the case of refusal he was prevented by
any sufficient cause from so submitting himself.
(3) If a workman before the expiry of the period within which he
is liable under sub-section (1) to be required to submit himself for medical
examination voluntarily leaves without having been so examined the vicinity of
the place in which he was employed his right to compensation shall be suspended
until he returns and offers himself for such examination.
Where a workman whose right to compensation has been suspended
under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) dies without having submitted himself
for medical examination as required by either of those sub-sections the
Commissioner may if he thinks fit direct the payment of compensation to the
dependants of the deceased workman. Where under sub-section (2) or sub-section
(3) a right to compensation is suspended no compensation shall be payable in
respect of the period of suspension and if the period of suspension commences
before the expiry of the waiting period referred to in clause (d) of
sub-section (1) of section 4 the waiting period shall be increased by the
period during which the suspension continues. Where an injured workman has
refused to be attended by a qualified medical practitioner whose services have
been offered to him by the employer free of charge or having accepted such
offer has deliberately disregarded the instructions of such medical
practitioner then if it is proved that the workman has not thereafter been
regularly attended by a qualified medical practitioner or having been so
attended has deliberately failed to follow his instructions and that such
refusal disregard or failure was unreasonable in the circumstances of the case
and that the injury has been aggravated thereby the injury and resulting
disablement shall be deemed to be of the same nature and duration as they might
reasonably have been excepted to be if the workman had been regularly attended
by a qualified medical practitioner whose instructions he had followed and
compensation if any shall be payable accordingly.