Let Me Tell what Case Manager and/or W/C did to me !!?!!??!??!!!

gjeepn1557

hi wanna be free2
first who do have for W/c?
The one I have is awful. When they feel like they want to send me a check they do. It'sw been hell.
As far notifing someone..Good Luck. First you need to find a GOOD workers comp atty ONLY. Thank God for mine.
You also need to find on the computer. ALLIANCE FOR INJURED WORKERS in your state or town..It helped me. They told me EVERYTHING on what was coming.
As far as your knee..I too have RSD. I too am on crutches..Only thing..I can't use them because now the rsd has traveled to my right shoulder and upper bicep. So now I have a dog for when I fall. My knee keeps giving out on me..I also have a few fractures in my ribs from a fall. which I might add that w/c won't pay because it is not my knee. They never did pay me for travel time. In Mass. the C/M is supposed to let me know that I "fell off the schedual" to recieve checks she never did. I want to settle to get this over and done with. They come back about 3 times and then they say "final offer" and yo Have to take or get stuck with getting checks(if they send them). I don't know of anyone who has had a great time with workers comp. Never mind the injury itself. Here in Mass. If I don't have insureance. I get fined. Well I make too much on workers comp....1.38 cents more. but I dont make enough to survive if I do pay the premiums. So I'll get fined. Here If I did get Mass health...I would have to pay back everything that I used when I was W/C. The settlement that they are "supposed to give me" wouldn't even cover it. As far writting a letter to someone. You can write to your state house or even to the W/C people but you won't get anywhere.
Just get yourself a W/C Atty that ONLY deals with W/C. Then look on the computer for YOUR state..ALLIANCE FOR INJURED WORKERS. you should have one out there.
Good Luck. And stay strong..I know for me.. Well you can read it if you want..RSD workers comp issues on this site.
If you do those two things you should be able to get though the system okay.
All I know is I worked hard to help supoort my family since I was 14 years old and I get injured on the job and now I can't even make ends meet. Hence..the learning to breathe under water.
I went to a pain clinic in worcester and was taking spinal blocks. Now they want to put a permenant implant in me.. no way. The docs wont fix the knee because they said it would might make the rsd worse..well. i would rather have that then falling all the time.
Let me know how you made out and good luck
Gail

judiev331

Hi Gail,

First Happy (ie less pain) new year. Your comment about the surgery fixing the knee got my curiosity. From the time the RSD traveled down to my legs I've had problems with my left leg. I just go oops and I'm on the floor. The docs blamed the RSD as I thought (and still do) that the leg just collapsed. Would you mind telling me about yours? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks

Judie

LdyNY

W/C is absolutely horrible. I have been dealing with them for over two years now . They paid me for 6 months, then sent me to an IME doctor who saw me for 3 minutes and said nothing was wrong with me. I haven't received any pay in a year and a half now. No treatment. Nothing. I went to Pain Management and was supposed to get nerve blocks in my back, and W/C declined it.

After fighting for so long, the judge finally decided in favor for me. She said W/C had to pay me for all the weeks they owe me and continue paying me. But of course W/C appealed the decision, so now I am waiting on the new decision which I was told can take up to A YEAR. Just when you think something good may happen, they end up screwing you.. I was so happy when I was notified that the judge decided in my favor, only to find out that it was appealed... grrrr.

Unfortunately you're probably going to be dealing with their BS for a loooong time. Make sure you get a good lawyer, and that your doctors are understanding of your RSD and keep up to date with the reports they are supposed to fill out also.

gjeepn1557

HI Judie,
About 4 years ago I got injured at work,I had a dislocated knee cap. Lifting a patient. Anyway,At first I was afraid to file for W/C because I didn't want to lose my job. 2 years ago,I got hurt again at work, same thing,same knee. This time,I had no chice to file. They refused to pay me. This time I got a good lawyer. He got my payments started up again. I had to Orthscopes done on my knee then I had to have major surgury on it to try and get it to track right....I was in rehab for 1 month. I got a scar on my knee that's over 12 inches long. My Doctor(whom I really like) told me that I needed a new knee,sent me to a doctor in Boston,who said I needed to go to a pain clinic. They could'nt take me til November...this was August! I went to 3 different Doctors and I finally got one in Worcester...closer to me and he sent me to a pain clinic right away. I have to wear a brace on my knee because I am constantly falling. My knee either goes"back" or it just gives way. THen down I go. Getting up is really bad for me. Sometimes I have to repositon my knee before I get up...I got a dog now that helps me get up when I fall. The Doctor that I saw had tolds me that he thought I had RSD. I wasn't happy about that. I did Spinal blocks for 3 months. Now I can't take them anymore. They want to send me to a pych doc to see if I am ready for a permenent implant in y spine...(didn't go..I am not ready for that yet) I can't have any more surgury on that knee because they said it wouldn't help me and that the RSD would get worse..( well I want it fixed anyway) I have had 3 fractured ribs,broken toes, I broke my nose,sprained my hand,bruised my cheekbone,broken my glasses) but they won't do it. I am 50 years old and I feel and look now alot older than my age!..As far as your RSD.. You need to hang in there. I know it's really hard and sometimes I get really depressed. More so now,because I got the Doctor telling me now that I have it in my Shoulder and upper arm...I am right handed. Totally sucks. I can't ever go back to the Hospital to work..I need a sit down job.
As far your rsd also..I don't know of a reason why you would keep falling. I know alot of people on this site has the same problem as you. I would keep on your Doctor or get a new one to figure it out for you. I know that my Doctor told me that RSD will tend to make the muscles and tendons less strong and weaker. maybe that is it.

There is a site that I went to.. I have one in my state maybe you have one in yours...it's called here...***The Alliance for injured workers.*** Maybe you should look it up. I also went to AIG's Doctor. I knew he was a joke when I saw a suitcase next to his desk. and when he took my file out (which was huge,,,he only took out 1 paper. ) The guy was a joke. The first time I went...He didn't say to much,but he kept asking me the same questions over and over but in different context. I found that site I just told you about and it told me everything I needed to know. And they were right on !
I didn't get a check for over a month and ended up in a shelter. til a freind took me in. Thank God my kids are grown,,,they never knew.
I don't understand that if you were hurt at work,why they wont pay. I have gotten in touch with an atty for bankruptcy, I have no choice. At least they can't take anything from my checks(they are small enough). AIG has agreed to settle my case. Because I want out. The settlement is peanuts, If I stay on W/C I run the risk of not getting my checks again and maybe they will also decide that they don't want to pay me again. I can't do that anymore.
Really you need to go to that site..ALIANCE FOR INJURED WORKERS. just type it in and it should come up if not let me know.
I can try and send it to you.

Having RSD is the worst thing that has happened to me. All I can think of is someday it will travel to my whole body. I hope not. I keep going and keep taking my meds. The pain killer that they have me on makes me feel like I am walkig on Marshmellows. and the nuerontin well...I don't even know if that's working anymore. But I keep telling me myself...DONT SIT TO LONG>>KEEP GOING. I'm afraid that if I sit too long. I won't get up
Take care.
Gail

LdyNY

Yeah those doctors are awful. My doctor also asked me the same questions in different ways, and everytime I would answer more than 'yes' or 'no' he would say 'YES OR NO??'. I wasn't aware we were only allowed to answer yes or no to questions! :P

I am very lucky that my father is very supportive and caring about my RSD. I used to pay about $200 a month to him when I was working, but now that I can't.. he won't kick me out or anything. He understands how hard it is. But honestly, he doesn't make enough money to afford caring for the both of us. It's really rough.. the money going out of the bank account every month is more than the paychecks themselves (It doesn't help that Long Island has some of the highest taxes in the country.. and I don't know why, it's not exactly the most glamorous place in the US lol!).

I get harassed by credit collectors and debt collectors everyday. I only owed $200 on one credit card and $300 on the other (Those were my limits). But now each of them is up to over $800 each. I owe thousands of dollars to hospitals for things not even related to my RSD.. Honestly? I have one pair of pants and two shirts. One pair of slippers/shoes that now have holes in the front. I can not afford anything else. It's really not right. How can these W/C people sleep everynight, knowing that they are putting people on the streets or in debt or in such misery? I understand that they HAVE to do this stuff because it's their job... but I could never take that job, knowing the horrible things I'm doing.

But then again.. do you know how many people out there are cheating the system? And that's what makes it impossible for us to get help. When I go to Social Services (In which I've been denied assistance THREE times now because of THEIR mistakes by new employees) I see people with NO problems (I HEAR them online, saying that they can't walk etc.) but they're walking perfectly fine in and out of Social Services! I can't even stand on the line even using my cane for more than 5 minutes! Then there's the people with neck braces that you see snapping their head around to look at other people with no problem whatsoever. I don't see that many people there with actual disabilities.. physical ones. They may have mental disabilities, that I can't tell by looking at them of course. But some of them are obviously faking it, and it's obvious! But they'll get assistance instead.

GRRR.. I went on a long rant haha But I'm so tired of spending 6 hours sitting at Social Services, watching all of these fakes and a lot of lazy people (I talk to some of them too, and they admit they just don't want to work WHAT!?) and I get SO ANGRY that they walk out approved and I end up having to come back 8 more times to fill out more and more paperwork, only to have the new employee mark off the wrong boxes on my applications and end up having to start all over again.

I hope the government does something soon about the way they mistreat us. It's not right.

gjeepn1557

The system is awful.I could use another word,but I won't here..
Here's a story for you that will blow your top...I went to Social security to get benifits...at that time I was in a wheelchair...as I was sitting there I was talking to this guy and he asked me if it was the first time I was there I said yes,,he says to me" let me tell you it's easy..I get a check because I'm an addict..I said " to what?" He said (are you ready???) Cigarettes. Yep.I couldn't belive it. I went in ..I had all my paper work...I got denied on the spot. Go figure..I have been ****** ever since about the system.
I know how you feel about being supported by someone else. I too can't make it out there with what I get each week from W/C .
I told my Atty. the same question..How do these people sleep at night? and he told me that's there job. Yeah well...I one of these days they too will be in the system and let's see how they feel about THEIR SYSTEM.
I wish I was 800 in debt....Since my intial injury..from 04,...I was afraid at that time to file..I didn't want to lose my job. I have sold everything that I have. I was having yard sales to make the rent. When I had nothing left. I went to my jeep to sleep. Yep...I lived in my jeep for a month...never told anyone...it was awful. Then my friend found out and I stayed with her. I filed W/c and they fought me all the way. It's been a long hard road.
This last time when my knee didn't hold up..I filed and got an atty right away.
I am now 28,000 in debt. Have nothing but the clothes that I have. When the check doesnt come as expected...I don't eat. I pay rent every week 150. And that doesnt include the extra 100 that I give her for utilites. so that leaves me with less than 75 bucks to buy food and pay my car insurence. As far as the computer..my friend has the setup and she lets me use it.
After this is over and I go to court to settle..I am going to do everything I can to get the message out. Rules need to change.
My case manager...says that RSD is hard to prove. Okay maybe it is..but tell my body that what have is in my head !
I used enjoy life,go out fishing,camping,go for "road trips" with my friends,laugh,cook you name it. I was always moving. Now I have to convince my body to get off the sofa or get out of bed in the morning. I have to convince myself that my life is worth living..and that my friend, is the hardest part of my day. BUt I keep going. Sometimes I feel like a robot.
That "doctor" that I went too,I was sitting in the waiting room and a guy was there and he was telling me that he hadn't gotten a check for 8 months because they said that he could go back to what he was doing..He had 3 major surguries on his spine and was in a back brace and could hardly walk never mind sit...He worked in a trucking dock. I told him go in and say NOTHING to this guy.
I gave him the link to ALLIANCE for INJURED WORKERS in our state. I hope he looked into it. I am also going to try again for SSDI. I don't want too. I want to go back to work. But I am going to try.
Some people don't understand that sometimes when you look at someone they look fine but you never know..If you can't see it,,it aint so. Yeah right.
I don't know if you have an ATTY.. if you do..sounds to me like you need a better one if not then you really need to get one that only deals with W/C.
At leat they can help you get the creditors off your back. I went to get an Atty, to file for bankruptcy...But the cost was so much..I couldn't aford it( if I had that kind of money I would pay some of my bills!) Here In Mass. If I don't have health insurence..I start getting fined..Yeah well...I wish someone would tell me how to squeak out extra money to PAY for the coverage. Maybe I should'nt eat anymore. i only eat once a day now as it is. I try to make the food last. I did that in October when I didn't get a check...I never drank so much water in my life!
All I think about is I hope this RSD doesnt go any place else in my body..bad enough as it is. It's already traveled to my shoulder and right arm. GUESS i GOT TO LEARN HOW TO BE LEFT HANDED.
All I wanted for christmas was to feel "normal" for 10 mins. My Christmas was spent in bed...Never got my checks ,2 weeks before Christmas,so I didn't go anywhere or see anyone.
Thank God for your Dad and family. Being understanding. That helps.
See if you have in your state The ALLIANCE FOR INJURED WORKERS. If not then just look into the web site for my state..it will tell exactly how the system works and how they really do try and screw you. My W/c people..they have been fined so many times I don't understand how they stay in buisness. BUt I promised myself and I'll promise you..I am going to make quite a ruckus when I settle my case and not have to depend on them to send me my checks every week. We all need to stick together.
I know life used to be good...I only hope someday it will be again.
Just keep on plugging away...It's GOT TO GET BETTER.
Ranting?? thank goodness for this site. At least I know now that I am not alone.
Gail

sandyrsd

Hi julie - I am new to the RSD board and haven't done a profile - but i had an industrial cut/crush injury to my left forearm and wrist in 1980 and I've had RSD diagnosed 18 months after the injury. I've had such problems mainly with my L leg now since 1985 or so - fall around a lot! I don't know why - most of my doctors are skeptical that it's from the RSD - but WC paid for braces, therapy, before I timed out on it. I've been on SS disability since 1989 and still go to p.t. and a chiropractor and D. O. a lot. I have just adjusted my life to "keeping on keeping on". I drink socially and have been very lucky not to develop any addictions except maybe to coffee and jelly beans. When I fall, it's sort of like a "power outage" to my leg. I went through several years with foot drop and had to wear an AFO brace to keep my foot straight. I'm 59 now (I can't believe that my life has gone by like this!!!) and my latest problem is Siatica (old age?) that's been making me miserable for a couple of years now. I've been having epidurals and nerve root blocks - lasts maybe 2 - 3 months then I'm back to square one! I could ramble on forever but I've got to get in the shower. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you. Good luck to you! Sandy