Kienbock's Disease

anonymous · 11-29-2002, 09:50 AM

I have worked at Toyota Motor Mfg in Georgetown for 11 years. I was diagnosed recently as having Kienbock's disease in my left wrist. I was on restricted duty for almost 5 months, and was sent home last week. I will now be getting WC checks in the mail every 2 weeks. At my last visit to the hand specialist, I was told to consider whether I wanted to have surgery or not. The surgery does not correct the problem, it just reduces pain. Without surgery, I can never work on the line again. With surgery, I could probably go back on line, but would no doubt continue to injure myself.

I just need some help in deciding what to do. Any advice on attorneys to talk to? What can I expect to go through from here on out?

Thanks for any help.

wil · 11-29-2002, 04:14 PM

Hi anonymous, sorry to hear about your situation. You are asking for advice, one thing that you need to do is to prepare yourself to deal with w/c. I don

san · 11-29-2002, 06:45 PM

GETTING HAND SURGERY AND THEN GOING BACK TO THE JOB TO CONTINUE TO INJURE YOURSELF MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. I'VE HAD FOUR HAND SURGERIES AND BELIEVE ME ITS NO PICNIC. WHEN YOUR HANDS DON'T WORK WELL ANYMORE AND YOU LOOSE THE USE OF THEM IT WILL REALLY SCARE YOU. THE NEIGHBOR HAS TO HELP ME DO JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I HAVE NO FINE MANIPULATION.

POINT BEING: I KNOW THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO FIND A JOB WHICH PAYS THE AMOUNT YOU HAD EARNED. BUT IF YOU LOOSE YOUR HANDS YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. MAYBE YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO RETRAINING THROUGH VOG REHAB. THAT IS WHAT I'M FORCED TO DO. I KEEP ASKING "BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO WITHOUT YOUR HANDS" PLEASE CONSIDER KEEPING YOUR HANDS AND NOT CONTINUING INJURING THEM UNTIL YOU HAVE NOTHING. I REMEMBER WHEN I COULD'NT HARDLY FEED MYSELF. LITERALY

LASTLY, FIND A REPITABLE ATTORNEY AS FAST AS YOU CAN. YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOURSELF.

pd · 12-07-2002, 03:43 AM

I would hope you will contact the w/c board and get a handbook from them or a copy of one (which they will send you if you request it),read it well and try to make sense of it. When in doubt call a specialist at w/c board and ask questions, they will give you the answers. Their no. is toll free and if you want it I will get it for you.

Their website gives all these numbers at http://kygovnet.state.ky.us/personne...b/wrkrcomp.htm

You can also go to a site for Kentucky which gives you more information at
http://www.workerscompensation.com/kentucky/

Keep copies of everything as it happens. This includes xrays and such. All communication between you and the insurer or your company in regards to the injury be sure to document. You will need this information for yourself or for the use of an attorney if you get one.

A surgery is up to you and you alone as to that decision. I sought a second opinion and was told again surgery was the only other option I had. Of course I was not real lucky there and one surgery led to another. This was due to a back injury.

Surgery does not always work, and I thought I was pretty diligent in checking with others who had already gone through these surgeries. A few were successful and I made my decision based on the pain and crippling effect I had along with my Dr.s recommendation and the odds (which are never guaranteed). Unfortunately, I was worse after than before the surgery.

I worked p/t without w/c benefits for near a year after the injury then went for the first surgery.

I started receiving benefits also from that date on, which lasted 1 yr. and 4 months. That surgery led to the 2nd one. Then my Dr. said he had done all he could and had pressure from the insurer to max me out. I got maxed out, sent to the insurers IME and he agreed with my Dr. and surgeon as to the percentage of permanent partial disability. Of course the day I was maxed out with all kinds of job restrictions I was without TTD. I consulted a very good and reputable lawyer and was told I had done all I could do as well as he could do for me. I did have and used the help of a specialist at the board to lead me through the jibbery.

Within 4 months of the max out by my Dr. without any pay and no job to return to, I settled at the maximum I would have obtained with a lawyer but without the lawyer getting a cut of the fees. My check was hand delivered to me in a lump sum payment by the adjustor for the insuring company.

I had no arguments with the adjustor but remained firm on the offers they made during the 2 weeks we bartered back and forth. The insurer did have a lawyer but I remained firm and know I did okay as far as the monies. However, the problem remains with the back injury. I have the option of going to a vocational rehab, and am now considering that option if I do not find work per the restrictions I have, but feel that I will find work even if it is minimal and less pay for which I know I will adjust as I have my priorities and lifestyle.

I hope this helps you a little. I was not always blue collar worker, but that is how I got injured. I also had the support of my family and friends and must say that the State of Kentucky Specialists helped alot. Also, I feel I had a good and reasonable adjustor contrary to so many things I have read here and on other sites. But I also knew my rights and the laws and felt I could win even at a hearing if necessary. I did not owe the insurance company a thing, they owed me! I kept that attitude and made progress as to legalities as I went along. I also consulted with one of the finest w/c lawyers in this state who was once on the otherside of the coin with the state and would have been my lawyer if I felt I needed him as he said.

Good Luck and if I can help you with anything that I incurred in this horrible process, please let me know as I am still around here.

PD Hill

pd · 12-07-2002, 03:48 AM

Almost forgot, if you want the name of this attorney (and I have worked with many attorneys in my previous occupation and still feel he has been one of the most honorable in the area of w/c expertise), you can email me at hurtcarole@hotmail.com and I will give you name and phone no. He does call you back and he does talk to you. And if you decide on him as your attorney that will be up to you. It was his previous background that led me to him.

Good luck, PD HIll

okelee · 05-21-2004, 02:48 AM

I would like to know what I can do if my settlement is not paid to me bye my attorney on the date that the judge has set for my case.

anonymous · 05-21-2004, 05:59 AM

contact your state bar for complaints about attorney behavior.

**suescott** · 03-20-2012, 04:38 PM

I was just told I have Kienbock Disease, I have worked in an office for 20 years on a computer. It is in my right wrist, is this a workers comp case in the State of Florida? My hand surgeon wants to do surgery, but my employer is asking me to hold off for a few months, because they really need me to work? What can i do, I need my job but I treasure my ROM in my wrist also.

Any help , please

Thank you