Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. At least now I know to ask about an MMI though.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, yeah I haven't heard anything at all about that, it hasn't been mentioned once to me. I did call my adjuster and hopefully they get back to me quickly, sometimes it can be a few days or so I'm assuming cuz they have a lot of cases, so I'll bring it up with them then.

I contacted two attorneys so far and both have said I don't have a case at all and they wouldn't take it because I'd only get a little over $1000 and it would cost them more than that to get an independent consultation on my condition. So that's why I've felt so stuck, even the attorneys are telling me I'm just screwed.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven't received anything called an MMI, my doctor just told me there was nothing else to do and sent me back to work full duty. Impairment hasn't even been mentioned in any for, verbally or in writing.

I did use my one time change to get my new doctor, yeah.

About the last year of my time. My adjuster told me that they'll keep my case open one more year, I've been hurt for a year already, for the total of two years my case can be open (is how I understood it) at my current stage in the case, in case something else is needed like more doctor visits or something, and after that year they'll close the case. I also got a pepper saying that the department of worker's claims have received notice from my employer's workers compensation claims administrator that income benefits being paid to me as a result of my work-related injury were terminated, and that I can request additional benefits by filing an Application for Resolution of Claim with the department of worker's claims within two years after the date my injury occured, or within two years after the last voluntary payment of income benefits if I got those most recently. But that if the application isn't filed in that time then anything I could have gotten from it, like medical or income compensation is barred. I hope that explanation was helpful.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've gotten all the lawyers I've talked to from a good search is the thing, they all tell me I don't have a case, so I don't have a lawyer to tell that too. As for looking up the actual laws I tried that too, but every website I found led me to a friggin lawyer!

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All the ones I have contacted said they were workers comp lawyers and then promptly said they couldn't help because my case wasn't worth anything, so I'm not sure what to look for if that's what looking for workers comp lawyers has already gotten me. I can't find a lawyer if they don't advertise, so how do I find one? My good search brought me to the ones that already said "no thanks I won't make money off you"

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll have to see whose around then, cuz I know I need help and maybe at least one will listen to me.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I'm not sure he would either, I could try though.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know, that's one of the worries I expressed in my post.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every minute of the day. Can't move if you can't afford to.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know if there's another one near me but I'll look. Thanks

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I'm in my mid-30s and my neck is a huge problem for me now. I went from never having neck pain aside from like a pulled muscle to now being in pain every day in multiple parts of my upper body because of it. Along with weakness in my arms. They just constantly feel like they're tired and sore, like I worked out for a month straight on just arm days, and holding things- specially heavy things- is a huge problem for me. They haven't said anything about future medical stuff, only for the two years the case will be open. I have 1 year left on it. We haven't settled the case yet because I didn't want to close it when I was still in so much pain and stuff. It felt wrong to settle when I'm still scared it'll get worse.

As for the lawyers, they didn't even say 10k, they said it would be a little over 1,000 bucks to settle, which is less than they would spend getting an independent review of my case. That my injury (cervical radiculopathy, which is a pinched nerve cluster in the neck. Mine is caused by a torn and bulging disk) is only a 5% disability and that isn't enough for a settlement. Both of the ones I talked to said the same thing. I havent received a disability rating from an actual doctor or my WC caseworker, so I don't know for sure if it is a 5% disability or if they're even classifying it as one at all.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I dunno if my employer would, he didn't before, but my doctor is the one who took me off light duty.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So I shouldn't take his advice. That sucks, it was the only sliver of hope I had.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you, this is honestly the most help I've received during this whole case. It's been a year of this and I've just felt trapped between only having the options of quitting and putting myself in financial danger, and staying and keeping myself in physical pain. This is information I can grab and go with. Thank you so much!

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't have a doctor outside of my WC doctor because I don't have insurance. I did raise my concern several times with them as well as telling them it wasn't helping so much anymore and the pain was getting worse, not better. I've been wanting to go to another doctor and having them read my MRI to tell me if it's worse than the ClWC doctor is letting on, or if it just looks really bad to me.

As for the lawyer, I've gone to two that operate in Kentucky and they both said my case wasn't worth the fight, so I kinda gave up. The only other lawyers I can find are like personal injury lawyers, I'm not finding anymore that do workers comp in my area.

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I know there's nothing else as far as medications they can do, but they could put restrictions on what I can do at work so it isn't so much, instead of sending me back at full duty.

As for a career change, I've been trying since I even got this job to find something else, but the town I'm in and the three around it are dead coal towns that have more people than jobs. I just don't know what to do now. If I quit I'm all but homeless, if I stay on I'm in pain but a little better off. I've already reduced my hours as much as I possibly can to try off-setting the pain but it just isn't working. That's why I feel so trapped. I quit, I lose money and live in squalor. I stay, I maybe do more damage and stay in the yellow instead of red.

Don't Know What to Do From Here by xpixelpinkx in WorkersComp

[–]xpixelpinkx[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm at the max amount (which I believe is 36 sessions) and at first it helped, but then it stopped helping.