Can anyone help me with work comp? - Disabilities Message Board

BlueSteam · 05-05-2006, 07:55 AM

My dr is wanting to do an esi injection at c-7 and I don't want it. I'm afraid if I don't do it, my claim will be dropped. I am also afraid the injection will cause further injury. He is claiming that he will need to do more than one and he is not sure if it will help let alone even heal me. Don't I have the right to decide what happens to my body? They have allready misdiagnosed me for months. I also want to see a neurosurgeon instead of a pain specialist. Any thoughts or ideas would be great. I have tried to research this at our state work comp site and couldn't find out anything. Thanks Angela

countrykid · 05-05-2006, 12:04 PM

Is this doctor a WC dr or your personally picked dr? You have the right to get a second opinion. You may also chose to get reviewed by a neurosurgeon, depending on your WC you may have to get prior authorization.
You may want to contact a WC attorney for some advise. WC varies and what goes for one may not be the same for others. Really not fair but what in live is anymore?
WC tries to always get you off of it...they hate to pay. But I don't know whether you rejecting the injection will hurt your claim status.

Advice seeker · 05-05-2006, 12:45 PM

If you refused without a legitimate reason, they could deny you benefits based on "refusal to follow prescribed treatment". ESI's do help a lot of people. I had a series of three cervical ESI's a couple of years ago and they knocked out some of the pain. My husband has had a lot of lumbar ESI's and they never really helped him.

If you have them, make sure that they use a fluoroscope instead of guessing where to insert the needle. Also, I hate shots, but I hate the thoughts of a needle being in my back or neck more. (I even refused epidurals when I had my two children and had them naturally instead of having a needle put in my back!) So, I was given an IV and a dose of Versed before my ESI. I didn't even feel it!

mimgregg · 05-05-2006, 10:20 PM

Based on my very unhappy experience this time around with w/c I would immediately get a lawyer that specializes in this. He/She can answer state specific questions and can help you get the medical care you need. Good luck to you!
~Mim

CoyoteBound · 05-06-2006, 03:54 AM

BlueSteam,

Mt husband had the ESI injections several times and he said that the injections didn't hurt a bit. Now the shots helped him out for a few days and then he would be back in the same pain that he was in before he took the injections. His dealings with WC did not push him at all and left that up to him for him to decide if he wantd the injections or not. they also mentioned surgery to him and that time he flat refused the surgery and WC did not cut off his checks. But he is on Disabilty now and they have started him in Pain Management and were waiting to see how that goes because he has already done all kinds of therapy and nothing helped. He finally had the surgery done on his back but still has the same pain and his legs and back hurts him so bad that he can't even lay down at night and sleep like a normal person would. It's a bad deal when you mess your back up. I hurt my back when I was 21 years old and am 49 now and have been on disability since 1990. Once you have back problems, you always have back problems. It don't get any better when you have disc problems we have. Wish you luck with yours!