Snake Bite in Florida

[maryann32091]

my husband was bit by a cotton mouth snake at work in 05 on right hand in icu for 11 days.almost lost him a couple of times oragans were shutting down all kinds of crazy stuff was happing to him.sent home venom severed the tendon in thumb had surgury to repair it was sent back to work on light duty was a manager of maintence for 3 shifts at a steel mill.has been on oxycontin and oxycodone since comeing home from hospital then xanax for post tramitic stress then norontin for nerve damage.all this time in constant pain.every 2 weeks saftey manager would make sure he got his pain meds so that he could work...good deal right?wrong!in 07 while still on pain meds had him work on electrical (not an electrican)box to make a long story short he disengaged the box it did not engage and sparks flew causing 2nd degree burns on the right hand again.he was fired while in the burn unit.said he did not follow safty procedures but they were getting these drugs for him and knew what he was taking isn't that a safty violation can they do that?dr. has now said he has rsd type2 from both injurys.wc says injurys are not related bull crap!reached mmi 6 months ago with restrication of no use of right arm.pain is now up to shoulder over to the other shoulder..workers comp has denied everything.attorney got meds and seeking blood work and now his whole body is swelling..they are telling me they can't treat that not comp related.also have him on all kinds of syc drugs to help him sleep they didn't help now they have him on thorizine and i can't wake him up!!!
de in the State of:

[.SH]

this is the second time you have posted the same information.
If you haven't been able to wake up your husband in the last 3 days it's time to call 9-1-1.
If you have a work comp question you'll have to type it in the message box along with the other information - most viewers can't read minds yet.

[Charles Stevens]

Maryanne, I am sorry to hear of your husband's ordeal.....

Your Husband's PTP has a CRITICAL role in all of this, in order for the IC to accept the claims....it is INCUMBENT ON YOUR HUSBAND's PTP to write a VERY COMPREHENSIVE Medical Report, that describes in GREAT DETAIL and SPECIFICITY, EACH of your your husband's industrial injuries and subesquent medical complications, HOW and WHY THEY ARE LINKED TO your husband's EMPLOYMENT, and then BACK UP HIS OPINIONS with "EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE" (EBM) AND SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE THAT SUPPORTS HIS OPINION...

In ADDITION, if some your Husband's medical conditions are OUT OF THE PTP'S "AREA OF MEDICAL EXPERTISE", then it is critical that the PTP REFER YOUR HUSBAND TO THE APPROPRIATE SPECIALISTS, and then INCORPORATE THEIR FINDINGS/OPINIONS INTO HIS REPORT....

IF your Husband has been evalulated by an IME and/or "WC DOCTOR", then your attorney MUST HAVE YOUR HUSBAND'S PTP ISSUE A "REBUTTAL REPORT", that identifies EACH INCONSISTENCY, INCOMPLETE/INACCURATE MEDICAL HISTORY or the injury, INCOMPLETE REVIEW OF THE MEDICAL RECORDS, MIS-STATEMENTs and/or MISCHARACTERIZATIONS OF THE MEDICAL RECORDS, INADEQUATE PHYSICAL EXAM, and IF THE IME/WC DOCTOR IS "OPINING OUT OF HIS AREA OF EXPERTISE"....and again, your PTP MUST BACK UP HIS OPINIONS WITH EBM/SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE....

The reason why this is so very important, is because the[I] MEDICAL REPORTING MUST BE deemed "SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE".[/I]...in other words, at the end of the day (or the middle ), if your husband's case goes for a Hearing or Trial in front of a WC JUDGE, the WC is NOT a medical doctor, and can NOT make a "medical determination"....he can ONLY RELY on the MEDICAL REPORTS that are IN FRONT OF HIM, review them, and IF the medical reports are "DEFICIENT", then the Judge might not deem the to be "SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE", and will NOT (or SHOULD NOT) give them any "WEIGHT", and may DISREGARD THEM, in part or in WHOLE, when the Judge is making his LEGAL determination of the medical issues

Another very important consideration, is HOW EXPERIENCED is your Husband's WC attorney with the COMPLEX MEDICAL ISSUES INVOLOVED IN YOUR HUSBAND'S CASE??? Dois the attorney have the NECESSARY MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE and EXPERTISE in RSD, SNAKE-BITES, that is CRUCIAL when LITIGATING these type of injuries and medical conditions etc???

BECAUSE, at some point, the DOCTORS, including any MED-LEGAL EVALUATORs/IMEs, PTP and TREATING PHYSICIANS WILL BE DEPOSED....

SOME of these Doctors, especially IMEs and "Defense Doctors", are EXTREMELY SKILLED AT TESTIFYING IN DEPOSITIONS, and they KNOW HOW TO "MANIPULATE THE MEDICAL FACTS/FINDINGS" TO SUPPORT THEIR OPINION....

It takes a SHARP ATTORNEY who KNOWS THE MEDICAL ISSUES, and KNOWS HOW TO SKILLFULLY EXAMINE and CROSS-EXAMINE AN EXPERT IN ORDER TO EITHER UNDERMINE THE DOCTOR'S CREDIBILITY, GET THE DOCTOR TO CONTRADICT HIMSELF, "WAFFLE", and SO FORTH!!!

Since you husband has very serious injuries, and what the IC/CA considers to be a "HIGH VALUE CLAIM", they will fight TOOTH AND NAIL to DENY WHATEVER THEY CAN in order to KEEP COSTS DOWN....adn VERY unfortunately, you and your Husband are just BEGINNING to get a "taste" of the WC System....

If you think that your husband would be better served by either changing PTPs, who CAN and WILL write IRON-CLAD REPORTS, etc, or changing attorneys to one who has experience and expertise in litigating the type of injuries that your husband has, then perhaps you should consider at least consulting with OTHER attorneys and so forth.....

I must emphasise that this may NOT BE THE CASE, and your husband may be in EXTREMELY good hands, PTP and attorney-wise...

But, the BOTTOM LINE HERE is that what is MOST IMPORTANT IS YOUR HUSBAND'S BEST INTERESTS...and he MUST HAVE TREATING PHYSICIANS AND AN ATTORNEY WHO ALSO HAVE HIS BEST INTERESTS IN MIND...and the NECESSARY EXPERTISE....

Good Luck, and please do keep us posted about your Husband's progress...

Charlie

[maryann32091]

thanks for all the info.i'm just real confussed.the dr. just brushes us off when we ask about symptoms that he is having.attorney says get referal well dr.wont give us one.he said during depo that my husbands rsd would just stay in one spot but has told us that it will only get worse and usually moves and it has after2 yrs he also said in depo that he could work on all the meds he is on.as long as he dosn't use his right arm well he is right handed.he also said the are truck drivers on the road taking more pain meds than him. he take 160mg of oxycodone and oxycotin a day and 6 other syc drugs.we have been posponed twice now and waiting on ssi.i'm really scared my husband is 44 years old.we have two teenagers and i'm trying to work just to pay the bills..i'm afraid we will lose everything...should i just try to take him to a different dr.or er to get some of his symptoms documented.the dr only writes down what he wants to...

[Charles Stevens]

Maryanne, you MUST find out what the pocedure is to CHANGE PTPs, ASAP!!! Or, at LEAST have your attorney try to work with the IC/CA and CURRENT PTP to get your husband REFERRED to an APPROPRIATE RSD/CRPS SPECIALIST.

The pyhyscians MOST experiences with diagnosing and TREATING RSD/CRPS are PAIN MANAGEMENT ANESTHESIOLOGISTS, NOT to be confused with Pain Management Doctors how are PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHAB DOCTORS. THesde Pain management Docs are typically NOT QUALIFIED to perform certain treatments, such as Spinal Chord Stimulators, prescribe long-term use opf opiates, narcotics, etc, that require CERTIFICATION, and the use of "Pain Contracts" to prevent a QUALIFIED PAIN MANAGEMENT DOCTOR from possible Federal charges for "over-prescribing" opiates, and so forth.

Treating RSD/CRPS is ENTIRELY DIFFERENT from other types of "Chronic Pain", because unlike typical chronic pain, RSD/CRPS is a DISTINCT MEDICAL NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION, which affects the bones, nerves, blood vessels, skin and muscles.

And YES, RSD/CRPS CAN SPREAD, and there are several different "types" of spreading...if one arm is affected, the OTHER arm can develop RSD, and that is called "MIRROR IMAGE" spreading. Or, you could have RSD of the right arm, and then it can spread and involve one, or BOTH legs. RSD is VERY UNPREDICATABLE, so it is impossible to "predict" just WHERE the spread will occur, and WHEN....

However, EARLY DIAGNOSIS and APROPRIATE and PROMPT TREATMENT can potentially LESSEN THE EFFECTS OF RSD/CRPS. This is why it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE, and EXPERIENCED PAIN MANAGEMENT ANESTHIOSIOLOGIST be the PRIMARY TREATING PHYSICIAN.

With RSD/CRPS, it is NOT "Evidence Based Medicine" to treat the patient with JUST MEDICATIONS....RSD/CRPS ALSO requires OTHER forms of medical treatment, such as Stellate or Axillary Nerve Blocks (for the upper extremities), Spinal Chord Stimulation for chronic RSD that is resistent to medications and nerve blocks, etc., and often PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, as well as PAIN MANAGEMENT PSCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING, to help the RSD patien learn to ACCEPT, COPE and ADAPT in HEALTHIER emotional ways with their PAIN and LIMITATIONS...

In additon, because RSD/CRPS is often difficult to diagnose and manage medically, it is CRITICAL THAT YOU, YOUR HUSBAND AND YOUR ATTORNEY LEARN AND READ AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, SO THAT YOU ALL CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF RSD...by KNOWING ABOUT RSD/RSD, YOUR ATTORNEY CAN BETTER HANDLE YOUR HUSBAND"S WC CLAIM, and FIGHT FOR AN APPROPRIATE RSD SPECIALIST TO BE THE PTP, as WELL AS HELPING OBTAIN APPROPRIATE TREATMENT....

I am providing the following Links about RSD...the "Clinical Practice Guidelines for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, 3rd Edition" is considered "THE BIBLE" by RSD SPECIALISTS....you should PRINT OUT and MAKE COPIES for your Attorney to review, as well:

http://www.rsdfoundation.org/en/en_c...uidelines.html

http://www.rsdfoundation.org/test/AMA.html THIS link discusses the DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA fir RSD/CRPS pursuant to the AMA5th Guidelines, which is EXTREMELY CONTROVERSIAL...but, it EXPLAINS WHY it is so DIFFICULT to "MEET THE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA" of RSD if your State's WC Laws REQUIRE the USE of the AMA5th!!!

You, your attorney and PTP (whomever it turns out to be), should NOTE that one can ALSO USE THE DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA IN THE NEUROLOGY CHAPTER, PROVIDED THAT THE PHYSICIAN BACK UP HIS DIAGNOSIS OF RSD/CRPS with EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE AND PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE, such as THE CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR RSD, 3rd EDITION, adn OTHER SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE....

Maryanne, I hope that this information is useful for you and your attorney!

Good Luck, and please keep us posted...

Charlie