Worst case: after a crash on I-94 by the Lodge in Detroit, a supervisor tells you to "use our clinic only," then starts trimming your shifts when you ask for another doctor. That kind of pressure happens.

But in Michigan, your employer does not get total control over your medical care forever, and they are not allowed to fire or discriminate against you for claiming workers' comp benefits under the Workers' Disability Compensation Act.

The trap is the first 28 days. For a work injury, your employer generally has the right to direct treatment for the first 28 days after medical care starts. After that, you can usually choose your own doctor, but you should give the employer or workers' comp carrier notice that you're switching.

That is where things often go better than workers fear: once you know the 28-day rule, keep treatment going, and put everything in writing, the leverage shifts.

Watch for these common tricks:

• pushing an "IME" exam and acting like that doctor is your treating doctor
• telling you delayed neck, back, or concussion symptoms are "not from the crash"
• using any gap in treatment to say you must be fine
• blaming everything on a pre-existing condition

An IME is usually for the insurance company's evaluation, not your care. Missing treatment because you're scared about attendance can hurt both your health and your claim, so document every canceled shift, text, and instruction from management.

If the crash involved another driver near a school zone or bus stop during back-to-school traffic, you may also have a separate claim against that driver. Michigan's general deadline for a personal injury lawsuit is 3 years.

If your hours get cut or you're pushed out after reporting the injury, file a complaint with the Michigan Workers' Disability Compensation Agency and keep copies of payroll records, schedules, and medical notices.