Past back injury - Impact on trucking jobs?

ssbowles let me say thatI TOTALLY respect your oppinion.. I have read alot of your posts and Thank you for that!!! And all that have postedIm not trying to get worked up here but I guess frusterated... Football players get Millions even if they had freakn turf toe...lol!!
Look I know you guys dont know me but I am a Very stand up hard working guy who has suffered from some bumppy roads and I am counting on my future with Trucking!!
So Sorry if I came off wrong.....
I am just in a bad spot right now and just want a chance!!!!

 

I know what you mean, and I feel for ya. It does suck to get hung up by a company over some silly little issue that, in your eyes, isn't even an issue at all. But you have to see their side of it too....don't have to agree, just understand what they see, and why they see it that way.
Just be up front with the sompany from the get go, and if they close the door in your face....smile and move on to the next company. Keep kncking on doors, and eventually one of 'em will open.

 

You didn't say if they did any test to prove you had a herniated disc. This may be your way out. Only a MRI, discogram, or mylargram (of course the spelling is off) can tell if, for a fact, your disc is herniated. A doctor's word or assumption may be right but I can tell you that W/C would never accept that claim or send you to surgery without the tests. So without them you can just simply say you had a back strain and went to the Chiro and was fine.

But just like ssbowles said you must be truthful on your application. They will find out through insurance companies or the state if you had a W/C claim. So not telling them IF they ask would be your biggest mistake you could ever make. So whatever test was done should dictate what kind of answer you should tell them. With the W/C claim you'll have to tell them about that but without tests your back problem will be a strain that was fixed verus a heriated disc that the company most likely will have to fix if they hire you. I've gone through almost the same thing. Except I was already hired and I had surgery. I didn't claim it with W/C because I really didn't know where I hurt my back. I went two years without a single problem until one day I lifted a device that should have been counter weighted and it wasn't. It blew my lower disc out. I got shafted from W/C because I had a prior back injury even thou it was in a different place. So I know how bad you can get shafted but still there's nothing worse than getting caught lying on the application.

 

i was accepted in to a cdl training prog. i was on workers comp 8 years ago that required shoulder surgery and about 8 months off.i am still young,have a solid job history since and am in good shpae, you think i will have a problem??

 

Which shoulder? The reason I ask is because the shifting may be a potential problem for you.

In general though, I would say that as long as you don't have any issues with the shoulder and no doctor's restrictions, you should be fine.

 

Hi! Thanks a lot for this post! I hope this helps all in some way. I'm a wannabe and considering trucker's school and have a back problem the same as you. I'm very surprised yet happy (I think) to learn from this thread that having a herniated disk is not problem for a trucking career. If you had surgery, that's fine; but my doctor (a neurologist) let me decide. He said since I could pass his test of walking on my heels with toes off floor, and then with heels off floor, to not be worried. If I loose bowel or bladder etc control go to ER. He said try to avoid surgery as it's risky. He said don't lift more than 25 lbs. Is that restriction a problem for truckers? I'm thinking of going to a top notch driving school and could cost $4,500. Can you not tell a company about your herniated disk? If you tell, wouldn't that black list you everywhere? My herniation is documented and shows on MRI. Does this mean I can't become a trucker, or does it mean I have to have the surgery first? I thought that truckers never have to lift much. If so, what? I thought the forklifts did it all and all I'd do is drive - right? I hope I've been some help and these questions help other wannabes too. I should also say besides my back I'm in very good health with perfect driving record and never had a drug problem; but any veteran out there let me know if I could have a trucking career.... Thanks again for this thread!

 

Since most shippers and receivers either unload the trailers or have lumpers which the companies pay for (actually gets charged back to the shipper), you really shouldn't have to worry about unloading a truck.

Is the 25 lb thing a written restriction? How long ago did the initial injury happen? If it is recent, I'd give it a bit more time before getting into trucking. Give yourself time to get to know how to deal with things.

My hubby has a 40% disability rating, and he still was able to get hired. There was almost 6 years between initial injury and him getting his CDL. It was always put down on applications, and has never been an issue. His was also work comp.

The surgery for herniated discs usually does not do much of anything, so I would just skip that completely. My MIL had it, and she still has problems with her back.

 

it is my right shoulder, but i go to the gym everyday and am in the best shape of my life and had no restrictions when the case ended.i just do not have the documents or the contact info from 8 years ago....

 

Shouldn't be an issue at all then. I wouldn't sweat it! You'll have to list the surgery if it's asked about on an application, but since you have no restrictions, disability rating or anything like that, you'll be fine!