Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

Hi all-I know it has been a while since I have posted anything...but I have been lurking around and reading some of your-all's threads and posts.

I think that I have just been given some good news and hopefully I can one day soon be out from under the W/C system. I went to see my surgeon and he said that when it came to rating my legs, the AMA book had 2 groups for him to choose from. 1st was those who have had fusions and gotten better, and the 2nd was for the group of fusion pts. who got progressively worse. He said that was where he was going to put me at, and he would be rating both legs with the highest % allowed, in that 2nd group of people.

Also, he filled out what he thought that I could do, as far as work goes. Since I have been working with my original part time job and have gone down to only being able to work 10 hrs. and at a job that the company has made up for me, so that I can do wahtever I need to do and I come and go, as I feel like I can. The Dr. said that he was not recommending that I work at all.

I know that my lawyer has already begun filing for a settlement, but I do not know what the next step is. (I'm guessing that they will want me to see their Dr. for a different rating etc.)

Anyway, even though I do not know the exact rating % yet and don't know the next step, it dose sound like my Dr. really took my condition into consideration and is going to give me the best rating that he can, using the AMA.

Have a nice day!

Do not be surprised if they do ( IC ) send you to their doctor for a rating. That is what happened to me. My treating doctor gave me 32% and knew all the things that my injury effected and the workers comp. doctor gave me a 10%. Unfortunatly the court found the IC doctor more credible after testing me for 10 mins. One test. Squeeze my hand. What a Joke!! My doctor used instruments, measured etc. for 1 1/2 hours. Hopefully it does not turn out like mine. Good luck.

Great News Foster! Another baby step is behind you!

Lilly

Thanks guys-I am sure they will want me to go to see their Dr. You are right in saying one baby step behind me ! Even though it is a small step in the big picture, its amazing what a big deal it seems to be, when anything can be checked off the list, so to speak, and it opens up the next door.

Thanks again.

My opinion is all insurance want to put you in the 10% or less percentile. So if you get anything over that your doing very well.
Neddie!!!!!!!

I agree Neddie. If it is within 10% they would not fight it. It is when it is high like my 32% that it is worth them sending you to their doctor to lower the rating. Depending of course on what the injury is. I was so excited when my doctor really understood my pain and what limits I had with my hand and how it effected my everyday life. Only to be struck down by the IC as being lowered to 10% by a doctor that had no idea of what pain/disablities I had.

I think it is really sad how this is legal for the IC's to let their choice of IME doctors be pretty much the final say in ratings and how the labor board agrees with doctors that have not been your treating physician the whole injury/treatment. Who would know more than your own treating physician??? I think that is the person I would agree with more than a doctor that see's one for 10-20 mins. Heck, the IC IME doctor wrote in his notes that he saw me in NH when in fact he saw me in his office in NH. That goes to show you he had no clue who I was when he wrote his notes. That made no difference in my case when I thought how could he get by with a false report and he did.