hello out there folks its me again,but now there have been some changes in my w/c situation.My last visit to my treating doc was ugly he released me to full duty and i informed him that i didnt think i was going to be able to go due to me not being able to stand for very long without severe pain in left hip that also radiates pain down rear of leg down to toes.scary part is when i get the pain in lower back that feels like jolt of electricity and i feel like i am going to fall to ground.it happened once at home just as i tried to get up out of bed.Ive was on w/c for approx two months in that time I was given vicodin for the pain.one hour of p/t,one esi,and was also scheduled to get a facet block injection.nothing that they did for me helped.i feel like my treating physician did not do every thing possible .he told me that the symptoms that i have are not relevant to this injury.Iwas injured in the past on a job injury lower back.i was on w/c for about 1 1/2 yrs settled and i was happy.i was young and ignorant and i didnt care what i was signing i just saw $$$$$ and thats it.that was 15 years ago.five years later i huurt my lower back again.by the way first injury was also back injury.anyway the second time injured same thing but this time i recieved an impairment rating of 10% disability.i settled and recieved very little money.it was either get it all up front or get something like $75.00 amonth for like 12 yrs.since that time ive worked hard jobs and withstood the pain i had to to support my growing family.this third injury that is present today as put me down for the count im afraid.the mri that recieved on this injury shows findinds of spinal stenosis,bilateral spondylolysis,disc degeneration at L5-S1,and L4-5 disc degeneration.my problem is that they discontinued my w/c case due to theyre saying all that they are going to accept is a back strain/sprain and there medical documentation supports me returning to work full duty.what i have a question about is can i request another doctor who will accept me and treat or is it to late since my last doctor employer/doctor already released me.some one give any input that you can.

OK badbac----I'll try. since you have settled on the original injury I believe any flare ups goes back to the original IC. BUT since you've settled basically what that means if the didn't keep your medical open you are SOL. You have a right to a second opinion but it might be at your expense. do you have an attorney? if not you need to get one and have him explain the legalities here. very complicated as there are 3 injuries to the same area 2 of which have been settled on. I am suffering five injured body parts, WC related, and this is the 5th reported comp injury with same employer. I have always returned to work full duty except this time. too many permanent injuries for me to risk any further harm. Also I have never settled any of the claims but have always returned to my job. You have a complicated situation and I don't want to sound negative but I can't imagine having received settlements twice that any IC will pick it up. this is just my opinion and that's why i say please, please seek legal advise. an attorney is the only one who can answer your questions and since all states are different and all cases are different I wouldn't be doing you a service without telling you to seek legal advise immediately. best of luck


ICC

icc.hi and thanks for reply.yes i know it sounds complicated which it may very well be.yes i did retain a lawyer but still to early to determine whats gonna happen.? for you.what injuries did you sustain at this job if you dont mind me asking.

good morning babbac------

1) injury was 2 herniated lumbar disks that did heal so i returned to work full duty. took 18 months and all medical and ereceived my bi-weekly checks.

2) was about a year later. my foot got caught under a broken freezer floor and sprained my ankle. never took a day off. worked with the ankle boot on.

3) slipped on ice in employers parking lot and suffered a concussion and some neck trauma. never missed a days work. was made to work with concussion and sore neck.

4) lifting as usual my knew buckled and I bilged two other disks.

5) and current. cervical, impinged rotator cuff, 2 bulged lumbar disks, rt. knee and ankle. Have not worked since May. am lucky to get through the day and do PT 2 xs a week. several injections which have whacked my diabetes out. WC denied the claim so i have no idea what's next.

ICC

good morning to you also icc.wow your case sounds somewhat complicated also.you know i sit here wondering if i should hold out and see what my lawyer can do for me and its hard because in the meantime there is no income my wife is full time student.i was attending school but i dont know now.this is just a difficult time.iwas going through some paper work and you would think that if my ic approved esi one time and than also approved facet block injection which im scheduled for on jan.30.why would the ic say that there only going to treat for back sprain.even though i have so called prexisting injuries.i didnt mention earlier that my first injury 15yrs ago the ic was the same carrier that i have now.2 totally different employers but same ic

badbac----definitely talk to a WC attorney. pre-existing conditions that are flared up due to your job are covered but each state being different there are different guidelines. in my state is you haven't sought treatment in 3 years it's a done issue. only a qualified attorney can help you here. wishing you the best. let me know what's going on. as you can see most of my injuries were not the first ones to certain areas but i never settled on any of them.


ICC

ICC boy your just a walking disaster :eek:
All that happened to you at your work ? What kind of work did you do ? No wonder w/c has issues with you and I don't mean that your trying the system but all those injuries at work ? Workers comp is hard enough on me , i could just imagine your case..Garsh I hope things turn out better for you , no one should have to go through all that.
good morning babbac------

1) injury was 2 herniated lumbar disks that did heal so i returned to work full duty. took 18 months and all medical and ereceived my bi-weekly checks.

2) was about a year later. my foot got caught under a broken freezer floor and sprained my ankle. never took a day off. worked with the ankle boot on.

3) slipped on ice in employers parking lot and suffered a concussion and some neck trauma. never missed a days work. was made to work with concussion and sore neck.

4) lifting as usual my knew buckled and I bilged two other disks.

5) and current. cervical, impinged rotator cuff, 2 bulged lumbar disks, rt. knee and ankle. Have not worked since May. am lucky to get through the day and do PT 2 xs a week. several injections which have whacked my diabetes out. WC denied the claim so i have no idea what's next.

ICC

thanks shawley----i think at this point they looked at my age, the extent of injuries and what are the chances of me ever doing my job again. i feel that's why they denied it. hoping to sweat me out. not going to happen. I go to court one more time and win or lose i am done with them. need to go on and can't with their aggravation. I do alot of lifting. my job is predominately a 25 years old man's not a woman in her 50's. no problem in my 30's but the lifting all these years has taken it's toal on my body.

ICC

ICC,
Yeah I know what you mean , I wish you the best of luck at your hering. I also do alot of lifting ( Did) for my ex employer. I'm 41 and I'll never lift again. Sometimes it's pretty embarrasing to have my wife do the lifting for me around the house. I'm sure you understand.

Good Luck and wish you well

hi shawley---well put. that's what made my mind up win or lose i'm done. I can heal the best I can and go on but not if i continue to abuse my body on a daily basis. One life to live and I don't want to live it in anymore pain than I have now. I'm a capable person and sure I have something to give even if i can only handle a couple of days of volunteering. But the aggravation WC brings to your life has affected my mind also. have gone through a horrible depression that i'm just starting to come out of and do not under any circumstances want to go back to that darkness. best to you.


ICC

Workers comp is very unpleasant I know , but I'm going to get what I deserve from them , I'm in that black hole right now . I have lost friends hobbies ect..ect..because of this back.I have learned to take it easy even when I get " your ok heck my grandmother has no spine and she runs miles " I used to get tire of that but I have got used to it and ignore all that noise.
Best wishes for you also :wave:

I would like to tell each one of you that I hurt my back when I was 21 years old. I did get a settlement and I went back to work and worked for 8 years after that. I had a desk job of sitting but got to the point that I could not sit for 8 hours a day. I filed for Disability and the first go round was denied, I filed a appeal and went back to the same judge and he awarded me my Disability at 100%. I am now 50 years old and can't even clean one room at a time at house work without sitting down. It is hard dealing with Social Security, but the main thing is DON"T give up! Thats what they want you to do and go back to work. If a person can't work, then they can't. Hang in there and best of luck and I do live in Texas my self. Oh and also, I did my appeals and went before the judge and all with out a lawyer because I said that there was not a lawyer that could stand up and tell the judge any better than my self how I felt and I did it on my own without an Attorney but sometimes you have to have to have one.

Good luck to you all!

coyotebound hi! Im from texas to. go spurs.anyway what was or is your diagnosis?

The best thing I think you could do is get some legal advice. Most attorney's offer a free consulation so you can sit down and talk to them about everything and see if they think you have a case. They only get paid if you win, so they'll be honest with you about what your chances are.

Good luck! I know how stressful dealing with WC is. I wish you well