Question
Hi Nurse Red I have been out of work since Nov 2001 with a neck/shoulder injury. I have a bulging disc at C5-6 pushing to the left side and I have numbness on the right side of arm and shoulder. But my doctors say the two are not related and don't want to do surgery on the disc saying that it could make it worse and would not help the numbness in the right side and as far as neck is concerned that is not going to keep me from working.(sorry this is so long) Anyway the insurance company Workmen's comp wants me to get a disability rating so basically they are telling me there is nothing more that can be done for me and I'm gonna have to live with this pain.
I have reached my MMI
My main concern is the numbness in the shoulder,it happens if I lay on my right side or back and even if I hold the steering wheel for any amount of time. Would this make a difference when I go to get my physcial to drive? and also do you know of any web site that explains the disabilty ratings.
Answer
What Drs. are telling you there is no correlation and they don't want to do surgery? Is it the Work Comp Drs. or ones you personally picked? Have you been referred to a neurologist?
If not, insist on a referral (actually ask for the names of several then choose the best).
You also didn't mention what has caused the initial injury.
I wouldn't be so quick to take a trip down the disability lane.
It seems to me that Work. Comp. is wanting to end this so they can end the payments. Don't do that just yet. You have been treating less than 6 months and there are other options besides surgery.
Workers Compensation laws vary from state to state and so do the disability ratings.
And YES, the weakness and numbness will definitely affect your ability to get your medical certification to drive.
Please keep posting here and let us know how this works for you.
BTW ( and I don't often recommend this...but) Have your talked to an attorney??????
Keeping you safe, healthy and on the road.
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Answer
for your quick response. I have been in thearpy off and on since may of 2000. I have seen 2 different nurosurgons one was mine and one was theres they both agreed that being cut on was not reccomended and of course they disagreed if this was work related. This all started in May of 2000 when I was tring to pull up and old rusty dock plate to unload the trailer and when I yanked on it I could hear the mussels in my shoulder ripping. I'm just thankful that I was running teams. Anyway reported it right then to dispatch and saftey dept took a report also. this happened on a Tuesday night. We finished the run and got home on Friday afternoon and I rested until monday am and it was only getting worse so went to doctor and they started PT on shoulder and neck no xrays of neck just shoulder. This continued for 2 months and I ask to return to work I had just bought a house and bills where coming in. All along I told them that if I layed on R side shoulder and forarm would go numb so I was told not to lay on R side. I kept working until it got to the point I could not get any sleep and it started going numb while driving. Then the Drs. started more thearpy and running mri's emg's and now I'm back to square one. Everyone agrees that there is a problem with the neck but it is not causing the numbness in shoulder.
And i have talked to different lawyers and because of all the different states involved they don't want to get involved to complicated. I got hurt in Ga. at the time I lived in NC company was in Ky and I moved to Tn halfway through treatment because that is where I bought my house. I just want fixed I'm almost to the point of filing bankruptcy Sorry this is so long but I'm having a bad day. So sick of taking pills and cotizone shots. Thanks Again for your reply
Answer
No lawyer will take this case.
Check your bank papers where you took out the loan for your house, you most likely have disability insurance on your loan.
That should help with the payments.
Have you tried visiting a chiropractor? I don't usually recommend them, but if you've tried everything else...........
Keeping you safe, healthy and on the road.
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Answer
thanks again for reply and I am positive that I don't have disabilty on my house they would not write it because I was injured before the closing anyway when i get a rating I'll have plenty of lawyers wanting to help..any way thanks again