Does Your Doctor Really Work for You or Workers Compensation

[nikita]

I HAD BI-LATERAL CARPAL TUNNEL RELEASE AND NERVE DENERVATION CORRECTION SURGERY ON 6-5-2009, I 6 SESSIONS OF THERAPY AND THE THERAPIST STATED TO THE DR I WOULD BENEFIT FROM MORE THERAPY, ON JULY 2ND,2009 MY DR RELEASED ME BACK TO WORK WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS AND TO SEE ME BACK 3 WEEKS AFTER I RETURN TO WORK, I AM A BUS DRIVER AND SCHOOL DOES NOT START BACK UNTIL AUGUST 17TH, ANYWAY, I TOLD MY DR I STILL HAD PAIN AND PROBLEMS WITH MY HANDS, SO HE GAVE ME 4 MORE THERAPY SESSIONS WHICH I FIND TO BE HELPING, MY QUESTION IS WHO KNOWS HOW I FEEL BETTER THAN ME, MY DR IS GETTING ON MY NERVES, AND I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM RISK MANAGEMENT STATING MY PAY HAS ENDED AND THERE IS NO SETTLEMENT OFFER, WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON, CAN I ASK FOR MORE THERAPY, I AM STILL HURTING, AND HOW CAN MY DR RELEASE ME SO QUICKLY, WITH NO RESTRICTIONS NO NOTHING WHEN I HAVE TOLD HIM THAT I STILL HAVE PAIN, AND THE THERAPIST ALSO STATED THAT SHE FELT THAT I HAD INFLAMMATION IN MY HANDS, I GO BACK TO THE DR ON JULY 28TH, ANY ADVICE?

[BvIA]

If this were covered under you personal health coverage, you could probably stay out as long as your doctor says you can't RTW...

MY QUESTION IS WHO KNOWS HOW I FEEL BETTER THAN ME, MY DR IS GETTING ON MY NERVES, AND I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM RISK MANAGEMENT STATING MY PAY HAS ENDED AND THERE IS NO SETTLEMENT OFFER, WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON,

In WC your treating physican knows when you are MMI. How you 'feel' isn't all that relative.
As this is WC, the goal is a stable condition, whether you pain goes away or not... when treatment is complete to the point where your condition is not expected to change for better/worse in the next 12 months... you are MMI. Doesn't mean more treatment may not be necessary... just probably won't matter.

A return to pre injury condition, pain free is not the aim of treatment in comp claims.

Go back to your doctor and have the frank discussion, or request a referral to a pain management doctor. You'll probably see those PT visits stopped soon as well... a pain doctor is your next step.

No more pay/benefits, and no settlement offer... appearantly your doctor doesn't feel there is any impairment/permenant disability due to your injury... so no PD, no award. You are free to return to your usual and customary job duties.

[Monique]

I had (AVN) Avascular nocrosis of talus, my doctor sent me to phyicla thearpy to reach a 100% weight bearing. The problem is: Althought I'm walking short distances using one cructh, I am still is so much pain. what should I tell the doctor. At this point I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to put all my weight on my foot. Any advice?

[madmart]

my claim is in LA also --i have lodged a complaints with the state insurance regulatory board & W/C . It seems the description you have been given is accurate , very sad and frankly inhuman , what some will not do and excuse in the name of profits and so called business .Also their so called messengers . When the messenger has an agenda , they are no longer mere messengers are they? More lobbyists or propagandists perhaps? Especially when they relish in doling out the painful , horrific information about this dysfunctional , corrupt and harmful system . Complain is my suggestion . E mail, make phone calls , write letters to every State agency that may even remotely have to do with insurance and bad business . What you and I are experiencing is very very inhumane and evil .

[nikita]

IS THERE ANY WAY FOR ME TO GET ANOTHER DOCTOR, I AM NOW HAVING MUSCLE SPASMS IN MY FINGER NEXT TO MY THUMB, THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST STATES THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND I AM BEGINNING TO HAVE A LITTLE NUMBNESS AGAIN, AND I JUST HAD THIS SURGERY JUNE 5TH, SO SOME OF THE REPLIES I GOT STATED THAT BASICALLY BECAUSE OF MY DOCTOR I AM SCREWED, SO DO I NEED TO GET A DOCTOR, I DONT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO SUFFER A YEAR AND NOT BE COMPENSATED FOR IT, AND NOW IT SEEMS THAT THE SURGERY MAY NOT HAVE COMPLETELY WORKED EITHER. NEED HELP!

Sorry i meant do i need to get a lawyer and does any one know of a good one in shreveport

[hurt@work]

It would not hurt your outcome to seek legal advice. The least that could happen is that you can be informed of your rights, even if you do not retain that particular lawyer's services.

[smackman]

IS THERE ANY WAY FOR ME TO GET ANOTHER DOCTOR, I AM NOW HAVING MUSCLE SPASMS IN MY FINGER NEXT TO MY THUMB, THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST STATES THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND I AM BEGINNING TO HAVE A LITTLE NUMBNESS AGAIN, AND I JUST HAD THIS SURGERY JUNE 5TH, SO SOME OF THE REPLIES I GOT STATED THAT BASICALLY BECAUSE OF MY DOCTOR I AM SCREWED, SO DO I NEED TO GET A DOCTOR, I DONT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO SUFFER A YEAR AND NOT BE COMPENSATED FOR IT, AND NOW IT SEEMS THAT THE SURGERY MAY NOT HAVE COMPLETELY WORKED EITHER. NEED HELP!

Sorry i meant do i need to get a lawyer and does any one know of a good one in shreveport

Make DAMN sure you find a Attorney who knows WC of Louisiana. Not Personal Injury.

I had my surgery in Shreveport; My pain management Doctor who I see monthly is in Shreveport.
All the 2nd and 3rd opinion IME I have been to are in Shreveport.
Shreveport has some Doctors who are definitely WC whores.

If I was you, I would try and retain a Attorney but if not successful, I would go to my own personal Doctor who could make you a appointment with another Orthopedic but it would cost you or maybe you could get it approved with your Health Insurance if you are Insured.

The biggest thing I had going for me was my first Orthopedic stood his ground with me by disagreeing with the WC Doctors in Shreveport.
Without him, I believe I would have been crucified a long time ago.

WC is a Bastard that most do not understand. Once your Primamry Doctor says you are MMI, You have a hell of a battle ahead of you to disprove his opinion within the WC System.

Have they sent you to have a FCE done? This could be your next step if your case is not closed.

Good Luck.

[nikita]

no, and what is a fce, im new to all this and what is mmi, but my dr put me back in therapy for another month, and also took me back off work, does this help me at all, and does it mean they have to start my pay back ? now im having numbing again, and muscle spasms in one of my hands, someone please help, god bless u all, and i hope and pray god gives us all our just due

[smackman]

no, and what is a fce, im new to all this and what is mmi, but my dr put me back in therapy for another month, does this help me at all, and does it mean they have to start my pay back ? now im having numbing again, and muscle spasms in one of my hands, someone please help, god bless u all, and i hope and pray god gives us all our just due

A FCE is a functional capacity evaluation.
http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?...entDisplay.cfm

MMI is maximum medical improvement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum...al_improvement
http://www.davidbuie.com/a/1_tempora...isability.html

Have you went back to work after your injury on the job?

You ask does this help me. What are you talking about?

In Louisiana, there is not always a settlement. A loss of a limb generates a settlement but when your Doctor signs off and says you are ready to go back to your job generally its all over with.
I know several cases where someone was injured at a plant and on WC for 1 month; maybe a severe sprain of the ankle. They just come back to work when released by the Doctor.

I do not know what you are expecting but I will try and help you anyway possible but WC is not personal insurance and not a Personal injury claim.

[nikita]

NO, I HAVE NOT GONE BACK TO WORK, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE HAD A FCE, OR IF THE DOCTOR GAVE ME A MMI, SO I GUESS I NEED TO GET MY MEDICAL RECORDS AND SEE. BUT I DO KNOW THAT MY HANDS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO GO DRIVE A BUS FULL OF CHILDREN, I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WHEN I KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT FUNCTIONING THE WAY THEY NEED TO BE, I AM HAVING NUMBNESS AND SPASMS IN BOTH HANDS NOW, THIS IS NOT A IMPROVEMENT TO ME.

[QUOTE=nikita;122460] NO, I HAVE NOT GONE BACK TO WORK, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE HAD A FCE, OR IF THE DOCTOR GAVE ME A MMI, SO I GUESS I NEED TO GET MY MEDICAL RECORDS AND SEE. BUT I DO KNOW THAT MY HANDS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO GO DRIVE A BUS FULL OF CHILDREN, I WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WHEN I KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT FUNCTIONING THE WAY THEY NEED TO BE, I AM HAVING NUMBNESS AND SPASMS IN BOTH HANDS NOW, THIS IS NOT A IMPROVEMENT TO ME!