Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

I LIVE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
WHILE AT WORK OVER 15 WEEKS AGO, PERFORMING MY JOB DUTIES, I HAD TO STAND UP FROM MY WORK STATION AND RETRIEVE A FORM. THIS INVOLVED WORKING AT AN ERGONOMICALLY ILL-DESIGNED WORK STATION.

I HAD TO REACH OVER A COMPUTER SCREEN AND OTHER OBJECTS,THEN BEND APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET,REACHING OVER TO RETRIEVE THE FORM ON A LEDGE THAT WAS RAISED ABOVE MY WORK AREA. AT THAT POINT, AS I REACHED, I SUFFERED EXCRUCIATING PAIN AND HAD THE BREATH TAKEN RIGHT OUT OF ME. I TRULY THOUGHT MY LUNG COLLAPSED, AS IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO EVEN SPEAK,SINCE AS I TRIED TO BREATH IN THE PAIN CONTINUED TO ELEVATE.

I HAD TO GET AN AID TO GO FIND A CO-WORKER TO HELP ME TO THE MAIN OFFICE OF MY WORK. I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, AND WAS MET AT THE ER ROOM BY MY HUSBAND.

I WILL MENTION THAT I HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. RELAPSING REMITTING.(MY EMPLOYER AS WELL AS MOST OF MY CO-WORKERS ARE AWARE OF THIS, AS IT IS IMPORTANT THEY UNDERSTAND, (TO THE BEST I CAN EXPLAIN A COMPLICATED DISEASE), SOME OF THE TRIALS I FACE DAILY AT WORK, LIVING WITH THE ILLNESS,AND EDUCATING THEM HELPS TO SHUN AWAY IGNORANCE.
ONE DAY AT WORK A CO-WORKER SAW THAT I WAS SITTING DOWN.( MY JOB INVOLVES ME CONTINUALLY MOVING AROUND,WALKING THROUGH THE BUILDING, MONITORING MANY VARIOUS SITUATIONS WITHIN THE BUILDING WHICH I AM EMPLOYED.

THE CO-WORKER ASKED ME "WHAT'S WRONG,AWE,ARE YOU TIRED ALREADY? I VERY SOFTLY SAID,"YES, AS A MATTER OF FACT I AM. I SUFFER FROM FATIGUE DUE TO THE FACT I HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, AND AT TIMES,I NEED TO REST TO CONSERVE AND BUILD UP ENERGY".SHUT HIM UP IMMEDIATELY.

SO I DO VERY WELL,WITH THE DISEASE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD. BY LOOKING AT ME ,YOU WOULD NOT KNOW THAT I HAVE MS. AND THAT IS A TOUGH REMARK FOR ME TO SPEAK OR WRITE, BECAUSE MS IS AN ICI, OR,"INVISIBLE CHRONIC ILLNESS". NO ONE SEES WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE. MY SYMPTOMS ARE PRIMARILY RELATED TO MY EYE SIGHT AND FATIGUE IS THE MAJOR ONE. PHYSICALLY, I DO WELL. VERY WELL, AND I AM THANKFUL.

I NEED TO MENTION I HAVE THIS DISEASE AS YOU WILL SEE HOW IT MAY BE A THORN THAT THE WC INS. CO MAY TRY TO USE AGAINST ME, PROBABLY.

I SEE THE WAY THESE WC INSURANCE COMPANIES OPERATE. IT IS A CRYING SHAME HOW THEY ARE ABLE TO TEAR APART ONE'S DIGNITY.AND MORE.

SO BACK TO THE INJURY, IN THE ER ROOM THE FIRST THING THEY ASK IS YOUR MED. HISTORY. I IMMEDIATELY STATED THE MS. (I HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN HOSPITALIZED EXCEPT WHEN I WAS A CHILD, FOR APPENDECTOMY. I GAVE BIRTH TO 2 CHILDREN.THAT IS THE LENGTH OF MY HOSPITALIZATION.)
SO THE FIRST THING THE ER DOC. SAYS, WE ARE GOING TO DO AN MRI TO MAKE SURE NOTHING IS GOING ON WITH THE MS.

AFTER THE MRI, SHE GENTLY SITS ON MY BEDSIDE, AND SAYS" I HAVE GOOD NEWS, IT'S NOT YOUR MS. YOU HAVE AN ACUTE HERNIATED DISC IN YOUR BACK, THE L5 (ABUTTING AGAINST THE NERVE) S1, CAUSING THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN.
SHE THEN EXPLAINS WHAT IT IS, AS I AM NOT FAMILIAR.THEN EXPLAINS THAT A NEURO-SURGEON WILL BE SEEING ME TO DISCUSS TREATMENT OPTIONS..

HE SEES ME, ONE FOOT IN THE ROOM, AND WAS PAID BIG BUCKS FOR THAT FOOT IN THE ROOM,AND HIS BODY OUTSIDE IN THE HALL, ACCOMPANIED BY A LEARNING DOCTOR. HE SAYS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO GET AN ANESTHESIOLOGIST TO GIVE ME AN EPIDURAL, AND HE WASN'T SURE WHAT TIME THAT DAY IT WOULD OCCUR, DEPENDING ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE
ANESTHESIOLOGIST.

AS I AM ASKING HIM MORE QUESTIONS, SINCE I AM UNEDUCATED TO A HERNIATED DISC AND ALL,HE BLOWS ME OFF, AND SAYS THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST WILL EXPLAIN IT TO ME. THE EPIDURAL WAS ADMINISTERED THE FOLLOWING EVENING,AND THEY TREATED ME WITH DILAUDID.
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I EVER HAD MORPHINE.

I KNOW THIS IS SO LONG, BUT BELIEVE ME, IT IS ONLY A TINY FRAGMENT OF THE BS I HAVE ENDURED OVER THE 15 PLUS WEEKS.

AFTER THE EPI, I WAS RELEASED AND GIVEN A FOLLOW UP PLAN TO SEE THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST WITHIN 1 WEEK AND THEN THE NEURO-SURGEON WITHIN 2 WEEKS, THIS NEVER HAPPENED.

SINCE I WAS NOT GIVEN AN OPEN WORK COMP CLAIM NUMBER. NOT ONE OF THE DOCS WOULD SEE ME. NOT EVEN WITH MY OWN PERSONAL INSURANCE.

IT TOOK ALMOST 1 MONTH AND 1 WEEK TO GET THE NEXT EPI, AND THAT WAS POSSIBLE THROUGH MY NEUROLOGIST, WHO TREATS MY MS, AND WORKS IN A NEUROLOGY CENTER.

MY EMPLOYER FILED AN INJURY CLAIM, BUT SOMEONE, THROUGH "HEARSAY", STATED SOMEWHERE, AND I AM NOT SURE TO WHOM, OR WHAT,THAT IT WAS NOT WORK COMP. SINCE I HAD A PRE-EXISTING... BULLSHI. SO THE INJURY REPORT COMPLETED BY THE BOOKKEEPER AT MY EMPLOYMENT, WAS SO INCOMPLETE AND WASN'T EVEN SENT TO THE ADMINISTRATORS UNTIL 6 DAYS LATER.

I HAD TO GO TO MY EMPLOYER AND REFILL ONE OUT, WITH ALL THE CORRECT DOCUMENTATION AND INFO.THEY MADE ME FILL OUT A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FORM, UNTIL...WHO KNOWS.(I SENT THIS TO THEM IN DECEMBER 2008).

(LAST WEEK, OVER 2 MONTHS LATER, THEY CALLED ME TO SAY THEY DON'T HAVE IT. CAN YOU REALLY BELIEVE THIS?)

SO I ENDED UP CONTACTING THE WC CO. MYSELF, AND THEY IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED MED RECORDS, AND SENT ME A LETTER OF DISPUTE, PENDING THEIR RECEIVING THE INFO.

I DID ALL THIS ON 12/20/2008.(I AM STILL IN THE DISPUTE, SINCE THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ALL THE RECORDS).

I MUST MENTION, THAT THE AUTHORIZATION FORM WAS MAILED 12/20/2008, TO RELEASE THE RECORDS. DURING MY FOLLOWING UP,THE WC INS. CO.SAID THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE IT.I CALLED THEM FOR WEEKS.

THEN ON JANUARY 8,2009 THEY FOUND IT. THE CLAIMS ADJ. SAID,"OH, I'M SORRY I FORGOT TO CALL YOU TO LET YOU KNOW WE FOUND THEM. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS????????/ I MEAN REALLY.

AND THEY ARE PART OF A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY. CITIZENS MANAGEMENT INCORPORATION, HOWELL MICHIGAN.

OF ALL THE MED RECORDS REQUESTED,THEY STILL TO THIS DAY, MARCH 2, 2009, HAVE NOT RECEIVED ALL.
WHY YOU MAY ASK?

WELL THROUGH MY OWN DISCOVERIES,THEY (CMI) WHO HAD PRIVILEGE TO THIS KNOWLEDGE,(SINCE THEY HAVE AND STILL DO,WORK WITH THE COMPANY WHO RELEASES MY RECORDS), THAT THEIR (CMI) AUTHORIZATION REQUEST FORM IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ONE,IT HAS TO BE FROM THE FACILITY,THE "FACILITIES OWN AUTHORIZATION FORM",SINCE THE VERBIAGE IS DIFFERENT.

AND MY FACILITY, SAID THAT THEY DO BUSINESS WITH CMI, REGULARLY, AND THEY ARE QUITE AWARE OF THIS.MY ADJUSTER ACTED IGNORANT TO THE FACT. YEH, SURE, I MEAN SHE WORKS FOR A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY, COME ON NOW.

SO I OBTAINED THE CORRECT RELEASE FORM,AND SUBMIT IT TO THE MED-REC COMPANY.THEY SEND RECORDS.

I CONTACT THE CMI ADJUSTER, AND SHE SAYS THEY ONLY SENT A PORTION. SHE NEVER TOLD ME,THEY WANTED 3 YEARS WORTH OF RECORDS!

SO NOW I CALL THE MED-REC COMPANY, DISCUSS THIS WITH AUTHORITATIVE SUPERVISORS AND THEY AGREE TO SEND IT. FINALLY????? OH, I AM NOT SO SURE.

DO I HAVE TO RELEASE THIS TO THEM,3 YEARS WORTH? I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE. BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. THE ADJUSTER NEVER TOLD ME IN THE BEGINNING THAT THEY NEEDED 3 YEARS WORTH.

I THINK THEY ARE, AND WITH SOME SUCCESS, TRYING TO RUIN MY LIFE. THEY CERTAINLY HAVE FINANCIALLY, AND THE STRESS HAS WREAKED HAVOC ON MY MS. I WENT INTO A RELAPSE TWICE, AND MY NEUROLOGIST STATED AND ALSO PUT INTO MY RECORDS THAT HE BELIEVES THE STRESS CAUSED THE RELAPSES. AND HE IS A GURU IN THE MS FIELD.

AFTER TALKING TO THE WC-ADJUSTERS' SUPERVISOR,TELLING HIM I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS PROCESS IS SO ..... BS...
HE REMARKED THAT MY CASE IS UNIQUE, THERE DEFINITELY WAS AN INJURY,BUT MAYBE I AM NOT GETTING WELL BECAUSE OF MY UNDERLYING CONDITION.

ANY HELP, ADVICE PROVIDED WOULD BE IMMENSELY APPRECIATED. I HAVE NOT HIRED AN ATTORNEY, YET. I THINK THIS IS MY NEXT STEP. I HAVE CONSULTED, FREE OF CHARGE WITH ONE,AND HE STATES TO WAIT UNTIL THEY GIVE ME A DECISION OF YES OR NO, APPROVAL OR NOT.

MEANWHILE, I AM IN FINANCIAL RUINS.I HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OF MY RESOURCES,HELP, PLEASE! NEVER HAVE EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE. I FEEL LIKE I AM ON THE EDGE.....

Hello! Just had to reach out and give you a virtual hug! You definitely need and deserve one! Someone will be on to give you more advice, but you will find that a shorter paragraph, broken up into sections, type post gets a better response. Not all take the time to read the long ones. People on here are amazing, friendly, knowledgeable, know what direction to steer you in, and best of all, know exactly the road you are on as they have walked it or are still walking it themselves! So you have come to the right place!

I completely understand your frustration, I have been dealing with the WC system for a bit over a year and am close to losing it all. My dealings with my IC are not as difficult as yours, but are still bs. Like to know what the courses they teach most of these claim reps are called< belittling 101, aggravation concepts, how to make $ for the company and make the client homeless, and how to drive someone to suicide in 10 easy steps? It is truely mind boggling.

My thoughts are with you! Big hug!

Hi Soup,

I had a father that had MS for 8 yrs and truely understand how it is to live with someone who has that disease. I certainly feel for you and feel that they will use that as an excuse for treatments/approvals etc. I really think you are going to need legal help if you are already having this much trouble. I hope I am wrong, but sounds like things have been delayed way to much due to paperwork not being filled out etc. I have never heard of 3 yrs. of medicial records either.

How did the first shot go? Did it make you feel better after? My husband had a bad back and it took 3 shots. He swears by them and whenever he has back trouble he goes back to the pain clinic for his shots. There is certainly alot of people on here that will take the time to read your post and maybe have some suggestions. Hang in there and take care of yourself. WC is a long road and do not let it stress you out. That is another reason why legal help may be best for you as they can deal with everything so you do not have to. Once you hire a lawyer they can deal with the adjuster and getting approvals etc. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Soup, I had a similar experience with WC. They denied responsibility for 2 abdominal hernias because I had previously had 5 colon surgeries. I fought it out (with the help of a lawyer) and eventually even the WC Dr. agreed that the hernias were caused by my job. I don't believe that a pre-existing condition such as yours would release them from liability.If you have found a lawyer that you like and trust I suggest you let them deal with all of the BS that WC will put you through, You are dealing with enough with MS and I feel that the percentage that my lawyer will take is well worth the aggrevation that I would be going through without him. I wish you the best of luck.

welcome soup,believe it or not this is just how WC works sometimes it is not just you...Red also has MS but her husband had the WC injury not her ....Welcome and I suggest you get a lawyer as the BS from WC will make your MS symtoms worse with the stress.....good luck

Hi Soupaid87,
I'm sorry for what you are having to go through. The WC system has been entirely corrupted by the employers and insurance companies here in Michigan. Mine was shut off with no notice and it was allowed because it was a voluntary payment on their part. Then it took over six months to get into court and that was a quick referral to court because they shut my benefits off.

I'm afraid your attorney is correct that you have to wait to see what they will do and then if they turn you down you can then file for a WC court date. I have some friends who lost everything in this mess we call the Work Comp system.

The WC department at the state is not much help as it has been gutted by the former republican gov and the legislature. They used to have a dozen investigators in the office but it has been reduced to one plus a secretary. Not much help there.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HUGS, ADVICE AND WORDS OF WISDOM.

AFTER POSTING, I HAD TO GO TO PT. I HAVE BEEN GOING 3X'S A WEEK SINCE JANUARY.I ARRIVE AT PT, AND THEY TELL ME I DO NOT HAVE THE APPOINTMENT TODAY, IT'S TOMORROW. THROUGH ALL THIS STRESS, I FIGURE NOW I HAVE TOTALLY LOST IT. BREAK DOWN RIGHT THERE CRYING, HAVE TO GET IT TOGETHER TO DRIVE HOME. I LIVE LESS THAN 3 MILES FROM THERE.ONCE HOME, I LOOKED AT MY SCHEDULE FROM THE PT FACILITY AND.....
I SURE DID HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY, SO I GUESS I AM NOT LOSING IT AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT I WAS, OR AM I???? LAUGH AT MYSELF.

AT HOME I DECIDE TO CALL AN ATTORNEY. SHE WAS RECOMMENDED OR REFERRED THROUGH MY UNION, AND I GUESS I CAN RECEIVE A DISCOUNT, 10%.

I DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF MY CASE AND SHE TELLS ME ,BEFORE SHE WOULD TAKE ANY MONEY FROM ME, SHE FEELS I SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO COMP.,AND SHE IS SENDING ME PAPERS TO FILL OUT FOR A MEDIATION. SHE THINKS THIS MIGHT LIGHT A FIRE UNDER THEIR A_SES.

SHE SAID SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME GET WHAT I HAVE DUE, WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY HER. SHE SAID ONCE I HAVE THE PAPERWORK, CALL HER AND SHE WILL HELP ME FILL IT OUT.

WHAT DOES THIS MEDIATION INVOLVE, SHE STATED IT WOULD BE OVER THE PHONE??ANY HELP WHAT THIS INVOLVES, OR WHAT I AM TO EXPECT?

TODAY IS THE FIRST TIME POSTING FOR ME, SO I DID GO BACK AND EDIT MY FIRST POST, AND PARAGRAPHED ALL OF IT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. SORRY IT WAS SO LONG, BUT BELIEVE ME, YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THE REST OF ALL THIS...........

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR REPLYING, AND I WISH GOD'S GRACES UPON ALL OF YOU. SOUP

I don't know about your state, but here in Ma. you don't pay the lawyer. The lawyer gets paid from WC if and when they win your case. My lawyer will get 20% of any settlement I take. As I said before that 20% is worth the hassles I do not have to go through, I just wait for my lawyer to tell me when to go to court.The lawyer you speak of sounds like she has your well being in mind, but if she asks for any type of payment from you I would look into that. Others on this forum know much more than I do about this and maybe someone can confirm that Soup should not have to pay a lawyer????????

Here is the website for more info on your states comp laws. Hope it helps. It does state that comp attorneys work on a contigency basis. They dont get paid unless you do. http://www.workerscompensation.com/regul...ategory=EE