Hi to all of my friends,
I have been following the site for the last six years. In the last year I have posted some, but I have had to remain silent most of the time. I have just finished a six year long workers' comp case. I had untreated scoliosis and then had a major back injury at work. A steel support beam fell and stuck my head and spine. It would be hard on anyone, but the scoliosis made the treatement harder. Some of the details I still cannot share as I had to sign a GAG order.
I live in Illinois, and states do vary on the way workers'comp works. After I was hurt--it took over a year to approve the surgery{I am sure because it is so costly}. I was sent for 5 different opinions{I live near Chicago} so that was easy to have some major doctors take a look. All 5 said surgery was needed. and it still took a year. It is almost 5 years since the first BIG surgery. And just my luck--6 days after the first surgery--I fractured through the vertabrae above the fusion. And boy did workers comp fight that one. Probably because of the bills from the first surgery. So the spine remained like that for 2 very long painful years. My private insurance then paid for the second surgery and then sought to have the money paid back to them when the case was finished.
It is what happened--but workers comp pays the bills, but THEY GIVE YOU A VERY HARD TIME. Now you have pain,surgery and mental distress. Now adding to the doctors and hospitals and therapy--you have lawyers and judges all saying their opinions. I have seen my lawyer so many times that he is now well educated on scoliosis. My employer's lawyer fought like a man possesed about things no one in his position can know. The county that the case was filed in has never seen a 16 level fusion and had no idea how to rate that for settlement. THIS LIST GOES ON AND ON!
You do get paid for awhile--but ask yourself is the money worth the hassle? This is difficult surgery,made harder by people that do not know what it is they are fighting.
MY choice of surgeon was the doctor that workers'comp sent me to{the first one}. That did not make it any easier and made him force me back to work at 7 weeks after t10-pelvis fusion. I had so many work restrictions that all I could do was stand there,but I had to go. I think it only made me take longer to heal. And you had to go. I was so sick for the first year I really blame that. This surgeon was connected to a scoi specialist{He is the president of the Scoliosis Research Society} and he is the doctor I wanted.
I would say to everyone working to be careful.This accident was caused by someone's neglect--but work accidents do happen. Young people--I would say make a good choice in your career. I had two very active jobs, that I did return too, but could not do. I am not working now. After returning to work at 7 weeks--18 months to the day I was sent home. I still do not know why. I am told that the employer never will tell me--because it would make them admit fault. So I guess I will never know.
I also know this treatment is expensive, but all of the time, all of the hassle ,all of the paper work , all of the court dates,doctor dates, lawyer dates isn't always worth the $$$$.
We all have a story of how we have come together and this is mine. Workers' comp ----very hard to deal with when you have a major spinal issue. Just Saying! People making desicions for you,based on MONEY--not what is right.
The one thing I have,when I made the choice for surgery--is all 5 doctors said it was the right thing to do. Maybe that made it easier to make the choice.
The case is mainly over--just medicare issue to finish..Maybe soon?
I have been following the site for the last six years. In the last year I have posted some, but I have had to remain silent most of the time. I have just finished a six year long workers' comp case. I had untreated scoliosis and then had a major back injury at work. A steel support beam fell and stuck my head and spine. It would be hard on anyone, but the scoliosis made the treatement harder. Some of the details I still cannot share as I had to sign a GAG order.
I live in Illinois, and states do vary on the way workers'comp works. After I was hurt--it took over a year to approve the surgery{I am sure because it is so costly}. I was sent for 5 different opinions{I live near Chicago} so that was easy to have some major doctors take a look. All 5 said surgery was needed. and it still took a year. It is almost 5 years since the first BIG surgery. And just my luck--6 days after the first surgery--I fractured through the vertabrae above the fusion. And boy did workers comp fight that one. Probably because of the bills from the first surgery. So the spine remained like that for 2 very long painful years. My private insurance then paid for the second surgery and then sought to have the money paid back to them when the case was finished.
It is what happened--but workers comp pays the bills, but THEY GIVE YOU A VERY HARD TIME. Now you have pain,surgery and mental distress. Now adding to the doctors and hospitals and therapy--you have lawyers and judges all saying their opinions. I have seen my lawyer so many times that he is now well educated on scoliosis. My employer's lawyer fought like a man possesed about things no one in his position can know. The county that the case was filed in has never seen a 16 level fusion and had no idea how to rate that for settlement. THIS LIST GOES ON AND ON!
You do get paid for awhile--but ask yourself is the money worth the hassle? This is difficult surgery,made harder by people that do not know what it is they are fighting.
MY choice of surgeon was the doctor that workers'comp sent me to{the first one}. That did not make it any easier and made him force me back to work at 7 weeks after t10-pelvis fusion. I had so many work restrictions that all I could do was stand there,but I had to go. I think it only made me take longer to heal. And you had to go. I was so sick for the first year I really blame that. This surgeon was connected to a scoi specialist{He is the president of the Scoliosis Research Society} and he is the doctor I wanted.
I would say to everyone working to be careful.This accident was caused by someone's neglect--but work accidents do happen. Young people--I would say make a good choice in your career. I had two very active jobs, that I did return too, but could not do. I am not working now. After returning to work at 7 weeks--18 months to the day I was sent home. I still do not know why. I am told that the employer never will tell me--because it would make them admit fault. So I guess I will never know.
I also know this treatment is expensive, but all of the time, all of the hassle ,all of the paper work , all of the court dates,doctor dates, lawyer dates isn't always worth the $$$$.
We all have a story of how we have come together and this is mine. Workers' comp ----very hard to deal with when you have a major spinal issue. Just Saying! People making desicions for you,based on MONEY--not what is right.
The one thing I have,when I made the choice for surgery--is all 5 doctors said it was the right thing to do. Maybe that made it easier to make the choice.
The case is mainly over--just medicare issue to finish..Maybe soon?
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