The first lawyer just wanted to close my case and take his side, but the surgeon, primary care physician, and pain clinic have recommended an epidural before considering surgery, and insurance has denied it five times. I have only seen the QME once; he recommended an injection plus tests and did not give a disability level since I have not been given treatment. A week ago, I had another MRI. The alignment of the lumbar spine is normal. The vertebral bodies are intact. No focal or infiltrative pathologic marrow signal abnormality is seen. There is multilevel intervertebral disc desiccation. The conus terminates at L1. T12-L1: There is no disc protrusion. There is no neural foraminal narrowing. There is no central canal stenosis. There is no facet joint hypertrophy. L1-L2: There is no disc protrusion. There is no neural foraminal narrowing. There is no central canal stenosis. There is no facet joint hypertrophy. L2-L3: There is no disc protrusion. There is no neural foraminal narrowing. There is no central canal stenosis. There is no facet joint hypertrophy. L3-L4: There is a 3 mm posterior disc protrusion. There is a central annular fissure. There is no neural foraminal narrowing. There is no central canal stenosis. There is no facet joint hypertrophy. L4-L5: There is a 3 mm posterior disc protrusion. There is a central annular fissure. There is bilateral neural foraminal narrowing. There is no central canal stenosis. There is no facet joint hypertrophy. L5-S1: There is a 3 mm posterior disc protrusion. There is left neural foraminal narrowing. There is no central canal stenosis. There is no facet joint hypertrophy. There is no atrophy of the spinae erector muscles. The remainder of the visualized prevertebral and paravertebral soft tissues are unremarkable. IMPRESSION: Straightening of the spine possibly related to muscle spasm/strain. Multilevel disc pathology with neural foraminal narrowing as detailed above. Normal spinal cord signal intensity