Workers Comp Help
Shoulder and Back Injury From Carrying Construction Materials
Well it all started on August 2, 2001. I, while being a licensed electrician, was given a choice of either being laid off or doing some remodeling (installing ceramic floor tile throughout the office building I work at. Before I received my electrical lisc., I was a floor installer for 14 years, but hurt my knees and had to get retrained).
I was working at night, when everyone else was gone, so as not to be in their way, when I had to take some thinset (a dry mortar mix that you add water too and is troweled down to make the ceramic "stick" to the floor) outside to mix up. Seeing as I did not have any help or equipment, I had to carry everything either in my arms or on my shoulders, and picked up the first 50# sack of thinset, put it on my right shoulder, then picked up the second sack with my left hand.
When I stood, I heard a loud "pop" sound come from my neck and felt a really intense burning, stabbing pain from the top of my head to the ends of my fingers and everywhere in between.
Because I was alone, I had to wait till the next day to inform my boss I got hurt, I continued working that night, because I knew the job had to be finished, and quickly). After explaining to her what happened, to my surprise, she seemed worried about me. I worked for another week before I told her I had to see a doctor. I asked her to recommend a doctor, and she recommended her chiropractor for me to see.
I went to see him, the chiropractor, on August 10, 2001, and started treatments 3 times a week while I continued to work. And I worked till Sept. 27, 2001, until the pain got unbearable and I had to stop.
I have been misdiagnosed now several times, have even had carpal tunnel surgery done to "ease the pain" in my neck, all because of some misdiagnoses.
On August 3, 2002, a full year after I got hurt, I had a second MRI done on my neck, and they found out that I have a "very large herniated disc" and now the doctors are trying to get me into surgery, again.
One of the main problems is and has been, my workers comp claims manager dragging everything out. By her refusing me to get a second MRI, I had to go through surgery on both hands so carpal tunnel could be ruled out as the reason for the pain (in West Virginia, if you refuse ANY treatment for ANY reason, you are immediately taken off workers comp. No matter the fact that you think the treatment might not help).
I have been fighting with her for an increase in my check also. Before I was hurt, I was making $10.00 an hour, but on the average, I would work several hours overtime each week. I am being told now, even though when I was hired I was told that I could make as much overtime as I wanted, therefore the amount of take-home pay was sort of up to me, and was one of the main draws for me taking this job, that overtime is not figured in on how much you make weekly.
I have tried pointing out that my weekly average always included all the money I made, including overtime, but I have been told "it has all been put in the computer, and the computer figures the amount". I can't even get a denial from her so I can appeal it, and try to get the raise without my case manager.
It gets so frustrating, not being able to do anything. I have resorted to drinking heavily to ease the pain, crying all the time because I stay depressed, and have just about given up on life itself. I have worked manual labor most my life, and now to be sidelined and have no control, it is almost unbearable.
And when you call over and over and over, to try and find out what's going on, only to always get a recording, and never get a return call, it gets so frustrating that you just want to go to the office personally and try to talk to the claims manager in person. But then reality sets in, and I realize I would probably get arrested for getting out of hand, and decide to just sit down and drink whatever is available to ease the pain, and block out the fact that my lights are 2 months behind now, and rent is coming due again soon.
Hopefully something will happen, either I can get some relief from this pain through surgery soon, or just relief from the pain some other way. I can't stand it much more.