I HATE self insured worker's comp

168...I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. I don't have any real advice for you .Just to say hope things get better soon for you.

 

although i don't know exactly what type of driving you do/did with ATT, or how you got injured, its best that you have a lawyer fighting for you. i was injured a few years ago by basically herniating a disk (or is it disc?) in my back. it took the "company doctor" nearly 3 months to finally send me for an MRI. mind you, right off the bat when i first complained about my injury he doesn't send me for x-rays, or an MRI, instead, just "go to physical therapy". the physical therapy was killing me, so all he does is increase the oxycotin medication. i was swallowing up to 10 of those tiny pills at a time, not the usual 1 or 2 per dosage requirements. my left leg was as numb as can be, i couldn't walk 5 feet let alone 5 yards.

when i was finally sent for the MRI, i felt vindicated, that it showed i was not lying about my injury, as back pain can be so easy to complain about, and who would know if i were lying or not about back problems?

the doctor said, from the begining, he believed my story about pain, and the numb leg. but.....he had to follow "certain proceedures" first. oh, ok, don't send out for x-rays/MRI first, kill patient with physical therapy first, if he "survives" continue on.........??

anyhow, it was found (through the MRI) that i had a herniated disc, and the only "cure" now was an operation. i went to the first neurosurgeon, and he recommended "cutting away" at the disc, not removal. the second neurosurgeon recommended a complete removal of the disc, followed by "steel rods" and placing bone into the place of the now missing disc, better known as "spinal fusion". i opted for spinal fusion, and never regretted that decision.

i can bend, twist, well just about do anything i want to do. i only "lost" a small percentage of motion, and its such a small percentage, i hardly ever know i can't do something, so my life is as "normal" as possible.

whew.........!! long story, eh....??

reason i was so long was to try and make you "see" that a herniated disc, or bulging disc problem may only be cured by an operation, not therapy, the disc(s) will continue to cause you pain, now, and in the future, so i can "feel your pain" and symphatize with you 100%.

i never got a lawyer, i was fully taken care of, except for the company quack.

i think that you might be heading for an operation (or two, or three) and i hope that the insurance will pay for all of this, and they should. get more than 1 opinion regarding an operation, but be prepared to be out of work longer as well.................

 

pro1driver you are giving very dangerous advice here. Everyone does not need surgery for a herniated disc. If I had it to do all over again I would have never had my first surgery. Yes first, I've had four. It all depends on the person. Just about every Doctor will try to treat the patient with conservative methods before surgery is even talked about. I too had the donor bone put in place of the disc but it was my third surgery before it got to that point. I would be very careful of a doctor that wants to do fusion surgery on the first attempt to fix the problem. You are very lucky that you came out as well as you did because I didn't.

 

I agree with the FACT that everyone's illness/injury is different, as are the DOCTOR'S who treat each person.

Just keep in mind that we can offer our own personal experiences and all can take that with a grain of salt.

I hope things get better for you REDNECK....and I understand needing to VENT!

 

here's what i said:"reason i was so long was to try and make you "see" that a herniated disc, or bulging disc problem may only be cured by an operation, not therapy, the disc(s) will continue to cause you pain, now, and in the future, so i can "feel your pain" and symphatize with you 100%."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
where the HELL did i TELL HIM to go and get an operation....?? you sir, are on very dangerous ground for putting words in my mouth that i never said.......

so, maybe you should ####........and READ THE POSTINGS PROPERLY......!!!!

 

Ok, there is no reason to start getting rude,please lets not resort to "cybershorthand" so you can swear or be mean.

 

he needs to re-read my posting and then tell me where he see's that i recommended a surgical proceedure for the original poster. i absolutely do NOT APPRECIATE ANYONE PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH..............and then he owes me an appology for saying i am giving "dangerous advice". i was "relating" to MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, and as anyone can plainly see, i did not "edit" my original posting to cover up anything i had said........about what I WENT THROUGH........!!!!!!!!

 

It's gonna be okay....

The wording was a little iffy, and I see how it could have been taken both ways if read too quickly.

Redneck....if at any point you think that you are not being treated according to the way you think you should be, don't hesitate to seek the advice of an Attorney.

I have two family members who went through very similar injuries, due to the backs of office chairs breaking (those things are a hazard I tell ya')....and they had to fight Worker's Compensation, their employers, and doctors tooth and nail. There are rights that people have, that are never told to them when things like this happen.

My sister is STILL undergoing flack from her employer, which believe it or not, is a large medical facility.

Understand the motivation in each case, is to get out as cheaply as possible, and your interests are NOT protected at any point along the way, so don't hesitate if you feel like they are shafting you.

It's very common for employees who are hurt on the job to attempt to be loyal to their employer, and to avoid seeking advice because they don't want to lose their job, but I promise you, it may be quite likely that behind the scenes, they are looking for a way to cut you loose, and will in a New York minute if they can find a way to do it. Sneeze the wrong way, or miss an appointment they set up with an "approved Physician", and you can be toast.

Don't get me wrong. I don't know your situation, nor your employer, and I like to think the best of most people, but I also know how rotten it can get at the same time. I only offer this in case you have any doubts whatsoever.

My mother had more than 25 years on her job with a large insurance company, when her injury occured, and you would not believe the crap that they tried, in order to find a way to cut her loose and keep her retirement. My sister had 11 years on her job, and is going through much worse with her employer. We are expecting them to fire her any day now, although she has gone back to work on a limited basis.

They both had legal representation, and my mother is basically set for life as a result of her disabilities. She has 16 pins in her back holding it together. My sister just recently recovered from her surgery, but is still in agony most days, and will never be right, and because of the numerous mistakes that the company made, and the way that they have treated her along the way, will probably be deprived of a large wad of cash in the near future. The Attorney is just waiting for them to can her, to file the case.