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La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203 (2026)

Duty to furnish medical and vocational rehabilitation expenses; prosthetic devices; other expenses

✓ current as of May 2026
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§1203. Duty to furnish medical and vocational rehabilitation expenses; prosthetic devices; other expenses

           A. In every case coming under this Chapter, the employer shall furnish all necessary drugs, supplies, hospital care and services, medical and surgical treatment, and any nonmedical treatment recognized by the laws of this state as legal, and shall utilize such state, federal, public, or private facilities as will provide the injured employee with such necessary services. Medical care, services, and treatment may be provided by out-of-state providers or at out-of-state facilities when such care, services, and treatment are not reasonably available within the state or when it can be provided for comparable costs.

           B. The obligation of the employer to furnish such care, services, treatment, drugs, and supplies, whether in state or out of state, is limited to the reimbursement determined to be the mean of the usual and customary charges for such care, services, treatment, drugs, and supplies, as determined under the reimbursement schedule annually published pursuant to R.S. 23:1034.2 or the actual charge made for the service, whichever is less. Any out-of-state provider is also to be subject to the procedures established under the office of workers' compensation administration utilization review rules.

           C. The employer shall furnish to the employee the necessary cost of repair to or the replacement of any prosthetic device damaged or destroyed by accident in the course and scope and arising out of such employment, including but not limited to damage or destruction of eyeglasses, artificial limbs, hearing aids, dentures, or any such prosthetic devices whatsoever.

           D. In addition, the employer shall be liable for the actual expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred by the employee for mileage reasonably and necessarily traveled by the employee in order to obtain the medical services, medicines, and prosthetic devices, which the employer is required to furnish under this Section, and for the vocational rehabilitation-related mileage traveled by the employee at the direction of the employer. When the employee uses his own vehicle, he shall be reimbursed at the same rate per mile as established by the state of Louisiana for reimbursement of state employees for use of their personal vehicle on state business. The office shall inform the employee of his right to reimbursement for mileage.

           E. Upon the first request for authorization pursuant to R.S. 23:1142(B)(1), for a claimant's medical care, service, or treatment, the payor, as defined in R.S. 23:1142(A), shall communicate to the claimant information, in plain language, regarding the procedure for requesting an additional medical opinion regarding a medical examination in the event a dispute arises as to the condition of the employee or the employee's capacity to work, and the procedure for appealing the denial of medical treatment to the medical director as provided in R.S. 23:1203.1. A payor shall not deny medical care, service, or treatment to a claimant unless the payor can document a reasonable and diligent effort in communicating such information. A payor who denies medical care, service, or treatment without making such an effort may be fined an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars or the cost of the medical care, service, or treatment, whichever is more.

           Amended by Acts 1952, No. 322, §1; Acts 1956, No. 282, §1; Acts 1968, No. 103, §1; Acts 1975, No. 583, §6, eff. Sept. 1, 1975; Acts 1976, No. 400, §1; Acts 1977, No. 530, §1. Acts 1983, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 1, §1, eff. July 1, 1983; Acts 1987, No. 290, §1; Acts 1988, No. 938, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1989; Acts 1989, No. 260, §1, eff. June 26, 1989; Acts 1997, No. 452, §1, eff. June 22, 1997; Acts 2001, No. 898, §1; Acts 2012, No. 235, §1, eff. August 1, 2012; Acts 2017, No. 381, §2, eff. June 23, 2017.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 725 cases, 1951–2020 · leading case: Darvel Burgess v. Sewerage & Water Bd. of New Orleans, 225 So. 3d 1020 (La. 2017).
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Darvel Burgess v. Sewerage & Water Bd. of New Orleans, 225 So. 3d 1020 (La. 2017). · cites it 63× “In every case coming under this Chapter, the employer shall furnish all necessary drugs, supplies, hospital care and services, medical and surgical treatment, and any nonmedical treatment recognized by the laws of this state as legal, and shall utilize such state, federal,…”
Church Mut. Ins. Co. v. Dardar, 145 So. 3d 271 (La. 2014). · cites it 21× “After the promulgation of the medical treatment schedule, throughout this Chapter, and notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, medical care, services, and treatment due, pursuant to R.S. 23:1203, et seq., by the employer to the employee shall mean care, services,…”
Authement v. Shappert Eng'g, 840 So. 2d 1181 (La. 2003). · cites it 9× “2d 439, 441 , the Second Circuit found that defendants' refusal to authorize the initial surgical procedure was a violation of its duty to provide medical care pursuant to LSA-R.S. 23:1203(A). Relying on Howard, supra, appellants argued that the obligation to furnish medical…”
Vallo v. Gayle Oil Co., Inc., 646 So. 2d 859 (La. 1994). · cites it 11× “Vallo argued that, since the Worker's Compensation Act is written for the benefit of the employees, the exceptions and/or prohibitions to coverage in LSA-R.S. 23:1203 should be narrowly construed.”
Lafayette Bone & Jt. Clinic (Charles Morris) v. Louisiana United Bus. Sif, 194 So. 3d 1112 (La. 2016). · cites it 16× “Paragraph (A) of LSA-R.S. 23:1203 directs only that the “employer shall furnish all necessary drugs” for the treatment of an injured employee work-related injury.”
Agilus Health v. Accor Lodging North Am., 52 So. 3d 68 (La. 2010). · cites it 17× “R.S. 23:1203. The Act states, “In every case coming under this Chapter, the employer shall furnish all necessary drugs, supplies, hospital care and services, medical and surgical treatment, and any non-medical treatment recognized by the laws of this state as legal .”
Cent. Louisiana Ambulatory Surgical Ctr., Inc. v. Payless Shoesource, Inc., 46 So. 3d 689 (La. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 8× “Likewise, this calculation was used in the other nine payments in these ten consolidated cases, all containing the Affordable PPO contract and the First Health Appendix described above. Therefore, while we have found that this web of PPO agreements is not valid under the LWCA…”
Downs v. Chateau Living Ctr., 167 So. 3d 875 (La. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 10× “R.S. 23:1203(A). Under La. R.S. 23:1203(A), “the employer shall furnish all necessary drugs, supplies, hospital care and services, medical and surgical treatment, and any nonmedical treatment recognized by the laws of this state as legal, and shall utilize such state, federal,…”
Parfait v. Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc., 733 So. 2d 11 (La. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 6× “To recover medical expenses under LSA-R.S. 23:1203, the claimant *20 must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the expenses are reasonably necessary for treatment of a medical condition caused by the work injury.”
Benoit v. Turner Indus. Grp., LLC, 85 So. 3d 629 (La. 2012). · cites it 8× “R.S. 23:1203 to furnish medical treatment to an injured employee, and argues he was forced to seek benefits through Medicaid due to Turner’s repeated failure to authorize treatment.”
Bailey v. Smelser Oil & Gas, Inc., 620 So. 2d 277 (La. 1993). · cites it 5× “See, LSA-R.S. 23:1203. Dr. Bailey, the orthopedic specialist to whom plaintiff was referred by defendant employer's doctor, referred plaintiff to Dr.”
Calvin Arrant v. Wayne Acree Pls, Inc. & Louisiana Workers' Comp. Corp., 187 So. 3d 417 (La. 2016). · cites it 6× “23:1209(C) specifically establishes a prescriptive period for claims for medical benefits like those brought by Arrant: All claims for medical benefits payable pursuant to R.S. 23:1203 shall be forever barred unless within one year after the accident or death the parties have…”
Show all 725 citing cases →
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(1): 1 case
Green v. Allied Bldg. Stores, Inc., 185 So. 3d 164 (La. Ct. App. 2016).
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(A): 218 cases
Darvel Burgess v. Sewerage & Water Bd. of New Orleans, 225 So. 3d 1020 (La. 2017). “In every case coming under this Chapter, the employer shall furnish all necessary drugs, supplies, hospital care and services, medical and surgical treatment, and any nonmedical treatment recognized by the laws of this state as legal, and shall utilize such state, federal,…”
Church Mut. Ins. Co. v. Dardar, 145 So. 3d 271 (La. 2014). “After the promulgation of the medical treatment schedule, throughout this Chapter, and notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, medical care, services, and treatment due, pursuant to R.S. 23:1203, et seq., by the employer to the employee shall mean care, services,…”
Vallo v. Gayle Oil Co., Inc., 646 So. 2d 859 (La. 1994). “Vallo argued that, since the Worker's Compensation Act is written for the benefit of the employees, the exceptions and/or prohibitions to coverage in LSA-R.S. 23:1203 should be narrowly construed.”
Authement v. Shappert Eng'g, 840 So. 2d 1181 (La. 2003). “2d 439, 441 , the Second Circuit found that defendants' refusal to authorize the initial surgical procedure was a violation of its duty to provide medical care pursuant to LSA-R.S. 23:1203(A). Relying on Howard, supra, appellants argued that the obligation to furnish medical…”
Downs v. Chateau Living Ctr., 167 So. 3d 875 (La. Ct. App. 2015). “R.S. 23:1203(A). Under La. R.S. 23:1203(A), “the employer shall furnish all necessary drugs, supplies, hospital care and services, medical and surgical treatment, and any nonmedical treatment recognized by the laws of this state as legal, and shall utilize such state, federal,…”
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(B): 32 cases
Darvel Burgess v. Sewerage & Water Bd. of New Orleans, 225 So. 3d 1020 (La. 2017). “In every case coming under this Chapter, the employer shall furnish all necessary drugs, supplies, hospital care and services, medical and surgical treatment, and any nonmedical treatment recognized by the laws of this state as legal, and shall utilize such state, federal,…”
Authement v. Shappert Eng'g, 840 So. 2d 1181 (La. 2003). “2d 439, 441 , the Second Circuit found that defendants' refusal to authorize the initial surgical procedure was a violation of its duty to provide medical care pursuant to LSA-R.S. 23:1203(A). Relying on Howard, supra, appellants argued that the obligation to furnish medical…”
Agilus Health v. Accor Lodging North Am., 52 So. 3d 68 (La. 2010). “R.S. 23:1203. The Act states, “In every case coming under this Chapter, the employer shall furnish all necessary drugs, supplies, hospital care and services, medical and surgical treatment, and any non-medical treatment recognized by the laws of this state as legal .”
Cent. Louisiana Ambulatory Surgical Ctr., Inc. v. Payless Shoesource, Inc., 46 So. 3d 689 (La. Ct. App. 2010). “Likewise, this calculation was used in the other nine payments in these ten consolidated cases, all containing the Affordable PPO contract and the First Health Appendix described above. Therefore, while we have found that this web of PPO agreements is not valid under the LWCA…”
Agilus Health v. Accor Lodging North Am., 32 So. 3d 1120 (La. Ct. App. 2010).
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(C): 10 cases
St. Bernard Par. Police Jury v. Duplessis, 831 So. 2d 955 (La. 2002).
Gentile v. Baton Rouge Gen. Med. Ctr., 665 So. 2d 422 (La. Ct. App. 1995).
Hughes v. Gen. Motors Guide Lamp Div., 469 So. 2d 369 (La. Ct. App. 1985).
Lee v. East Baton Rouge Par. Sch. Bd., 623 So. 2d 150 (La. Ct. App. 1993).
France v. a & M WOOD CO., 566 So. 2d 106 (La. Ct. App. 1990).
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(D): 22 cases
Guillory v. Bofinger's Tree Serv., 950 So. 2d 682 (La. Ct. App. 2006).
Moran v. G & G Const., 897 So. 2d 75 (La. Ct. App. 2004).
Ryan v. Blount Bros. Const., Inc., 927 So. 2d 1242 (La. Ct. App. 2006).
Johnson v. Conagra Poultry Co., 26 So. 3d 982 (La. Ct. App. 2009).
Jeanise v. Cannon, 895 So. 2d 651 (La. Ct. App. 2005).
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(E): 7 cases
Lafayette Bone & Jt. Clinic (Charles Morris) v. Louisiana United Bus. Sif, 194 So. 3d 1112 (La. 2016). “Paragraph (A) of LSA-R.S. 23:1203 directs only that the “employer shall furnish all necessary drugs” for the treatment of an injured employee work-related injury.”
Seal v. Sewerage & Water Bd. of New Orleans, 857 So. 2d 1065 (La. Ct. App. 2003).
Gabriel v. Delta Air Lines, Inc., 230 So. 3d 671 (La. Ct. App. 2017).
Russell v. Snelling Pers., 835 So. 2d 672 (La. Ct. App. 2002).
Bourque v. Transit Mix/Trinity Ind., 162 So. 3d 690 (La. Ct. App. 2015).
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(F): 1 case
Carradine v. Regis Corp., 52 So. 3d 181 (La. Ct. App. 2010).
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(F)(2): 4 cases
Lafayette Bone & Jt. Clinic (Charles Morris) v. Louisiana United Bus. Sif, 194 So. 3d 1112 (La. 2016). “Paragraph (A) of LSA-R.S. 23:1203 directs only that the “employer shall furnish all necessary drugs” for the treatment of an injured employee work-related injury.”
Daniels v. State Through Dep't of Transp. & Dev., 275 So. 3d 998 (La. Ct. App. 2019).
Robert Daniels v. The State of Louisiana, Through the Dep't of Transp. & Dev. (La. Ct. App. 2019).
Daniels v. State Through Dep't of Transp. & Dev., 275 So. 3d 998 (La. Ct. App. 2019).
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(a): 2 cases
Vincent v. Napa Auto Parts & Supply, 879 So. 2d 301 (La. Ct. App. 2004).
Derouselle v. Vince Enter., Inc., 838 So. 2d 866 (La. Ct. App. 2003).
La. Rev. Stat. § 23:1203(d): 1 case
Derouselle v. Vince Enter., Inc., 838 So. 2d 866 (La. Ct. App. 2003).
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