Back Pain And Worker's Comp

Nikirae

I am also on workers comp, have been since Sept of 2001. I might be able to help with some questions as well relating to back injuries and workers comp.

~hugs Niki

shawley

How much is a back injury really worth ? I have w/c breathing down my painful spine to settle..I gave them a huge amount plus 2 years left on medical and their actually thinking it over ..I don't want to settle , and even more now because my back is killing me.

What do you take for pain and how often ?

I take 150Mg Lyrica and 15 mg of MsContin and my pain is driving me crazy

Mandrel99

I am on worker comp and have been since 2005. I had a lami/diskectomy last year in June and now I am back having surgery for a fusion May 1. So far workers comp has been good with me. The only thing since I was only a part-time work and going to grad school two years ago, I made so much less. Now I am in a full time job and make more money, well I go back to what I made when I got injured! It stinks!!!

Nikirae

Shawley,

Since my fusion in November, I take 20mg Oxycontin CR 2 x day and 75mg of Lycria. I was talking 150 mg of Lyrcia but it was causing my bladder control problems.

Workers Comp tried to get me to settle about 3 years ago, I refused. I am soooo glad I did not. It seems the doctor I saw before my currrent on misdiagnosed me. So if I had settled, I would have been screwed. Since I have had my surgery I am working on settlement now, one of the requirements of the settlement is lifetime medical, so no matter what happens 10 years or whatever down the road I am covered, cause as we all know with back issues, anything can happen later.

Do you have a workers comp attorney? If not get one, I went the first 4 or so years without one, big mistake.

~hugs Niki

Mandrel99

I do not have a worker's comp lawyer. I am new to this whole system. What exactly do they do for you??

Nikirae

Hi Mandrel,

To make it simple and blunt..a workers comp attorney will keep you from getting the short end of the stick. You have to remember the workers comp insurance company works for your employer, not for you. You can even just talk to one, most lawyers will give you a free consultation and then you can go from there.

When I found out I needed my fusion, workers comp refused to pay for it, that is when I got my lawyer, I had my fusion this past November. If not for laywer, I would prob still be fighting with them to get my surgery.

~hugs Niki

shawley

Here in Pennsylvania attorneys can only charge 20% of what they get for you...My attorney told me he will not charge me a dime unless he has to go to court to fight for money or I agree on a settlement. I had him for 4 years and haven't paid a dime..

You must have a attorney there is so much you don't know about comp and your lawyer can help you maximize your claim..It's a no brainer you must have a lawyer..My lawyer made sure I got paid to some of my visits gas and mileage..I didn't know they had to pay for that..There's other things to.

But I do get the best care I can get with comp..I have no complaints.

Mandrel99

Thanks Shawley for writing! I too am in Pennsylvania. I really never knew there was something you could do more than getting worker's comp. I actually just got in touch with a law firm in Philadelphia and they told me that they will not collect a fee until I have to take action against my worker comp. I didn't you know could get milage and gas!! That is crazy!!

memorize

Another WC back injury here.....IN fact, 2 years tomorrow, Mar.30,2005....

I have had a hard time with my WC.....and DO have an attorney.....I have collected no money at all since Nov.2006, and called the attorney this apst Monday and today his paralegal called and asked for all my reciepts, gas, meals, etc.....so I am HOPING to be paid for those soon.....I sure need the money!!

For me, WC has been a nightmare....made me wait 15 months with compressed nerves, 3 bad disks and shoulder/arm pain.....finally oked the surgery 15 months later for the back, May 2006.....and now I have permanent nerve damage because of it!!

They have refused the shoulder injury but I am absolutley sure that it happened then....I did not have this pain before!!

Now, in pain management.....the doc seems ok....right now he has me on Duragesic Patches 50s) Hyrocodone for break through pain 3 x a day, and muscle relaxers....and I still have a LOT of pain!!

But, I am thankful for anything that gives a little relief.....I go back on Tuesday, and we will see what he does...this is my 5th visit in a little over 2 months!!

Hopefully, I can be of some help to others who are trapped in the WC system....I am in Kentucky, BTW.....and rural...so a trip to the doc, any of them is usually about 200 mile round trip for me.....makes it very hard!!

I can't see how you can make it through the WC maze without an attorney, and one that specialises in WC and disabilty.....

Mine is hard to get hold of but seems to know his stuff!!

Best of Luck to all,

memorize

shawley

[COLOR="Purple"][B]First off talk to your attorney , mine told me if I had to drive a good distance that comp has to pay..I don't know how far before you get anything. Ask your attorney..I would check into it [/B][/COLOR][QUOTE=Mandrel99;2890845]Thanks Shawley for writing! I too am in Pennsylvania. I really never knew there was something you could do more than getting worker's comp. I actually just got in touch with a law firm in Philadelphia and they told me that they will not collect a fee until I have to take action against my worker comp. I didn't you know could get milage and gas!! That is crazy!![/QUOTE]

shawley

memorize,
Thats good you have an attorney , you have helped me with your post i think , I'm calling my doctor about the duragesic patches..

I hope your attorney help's you sorry for your troubles your having , I can honestly say comp has treated me fairly well.

Good Luck with your pain thanks

clover60

Shawley-Mr.Mayor

I sure hope you can find relief soon both from the pain and from the nightmare of the workmans comp. I enjoy your posts and you really helped me get thru with your humor.

Enjoy your family this week-end try to do something special even if it is just playing a game of some sort.

shawley

Thank's Clover , it's been very hard to be humorous these last couple week's..I hope to be my old self soon. i'm glad I made you smile. I'll try to do something this weekend with my wife and daughter..It's been a while since we had a family day.

Have a great weekend.

memorize

[QUOTE=shawley;2891857]memorize,
Thats good you have an attorney , you have helped me with your post i think , I'm calling my doctor about the duragesic patches..

I hope your attorney help's you sorry for your troubles your having , I can honestly say comp has treated me fairly well.

Good Luck with your pain thanks [/QUOTE]


I just read your other thread.....Thank God that you got some meds to help you for the weekend!!!

Yea, the patches have been the BEST pain relief I have had so far in this crazy maze of pain management.....and very little side effects....a little nausea when I put on a new one, but thats about it.....oh, and loss of apettite.....but I can live with both of those if it helps my pain....

One other thing I have noticed is that I can't sleep well, but I'm not sure if it's the patches or the pain waking me up.....I take a muscle relaxer about an hour before bed time and that seems to help a LOT!!

I would highly recommend them....you will not be pain free, but they make it much easier to bear....and I was given break through pain meds as well....so things are a tiny bit better!!

I have lost weight on them, about 10 pounds or so, and I cant afford to loose that much more, so I am trying very hard to eat as healthy and as often as I can!!

I Pray everything works out well for you soon....I wish you could go to my Pain Doc, he seems to be quite nice, so far!!

I chose the one my surgeon recommended, I am allowed to do that in this state and also change once if I don't like him, etc.....so I felt like he would be ok because of the doc recommending him!!

I am NOT drugged on the patches at all, no weird feelings at all....but when you first start them, you do feel a little heart flutter and light headed but it goes away after a few hours!!

If you do decide to try them, give them a chance....it takes about 15 or more hours to feel anything, BUT I had been on Morphine so this may have been why.....and it takes about 3 patches (9 days) to really feel the good effects.....you will feel some better, but after about that time, I could tell more of pain relief than I had before.....

Praying for you and your family.....

OH, a word of caution for you.....I tried the Cymbalta too, and felt very dizzy and just sat and stared, I had to stop them....just be careful, hopefully this won't happen to you!!

God Bless,

memorize