+- Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums (http://www.workerscompensation.com/forums/general)
+-- Forum: Category (/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Forum: Injured Worker Forum (/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Thread: impairment settlement (/showthread.php?tid=2283)
impairment settlement - alex3569 - 11-14-2007 08:39 PM
I live in arkansas and was injured on the job, ripped rotator cuff and had to have surgery to repair and 4 screws to put tissue back on bone. Dont know what my rating is yet, but has anybody had something like this and what was your rating? Also, how do they come up with the amount for settlement?
RE: impairment settlement - 1171 - 11-14-2007 08:59 PM
Rating depends on your recovery--
Each patient can be left with a different level of impairment.
RE: impairment settlement - Babebahn - 11-14-2007 09:58 PM
Listen to what 1171 said. Do you have attorney working for you to help you with this process? He/She will be able to show you what possible ratings/settlements for your injury would be.
RE: impairment settlement - 1171 - 11-15-2007 08:45 PM
here's some info on another state's work comp rotator cuff treatment and rating info. you may have similar issues
http://www5.aaos.org/case/rotator.htm
RE: impairment settlement - jacvern - 11-16-2007 08:38 PM
alex3569 Wrote:I live in arkansas and was injured on the job, ripped rotator cuff and had to have surgery to repair and 4 screws to put tissue back on bone. Dont know what my rating is yet, but has anybody had something like this and what was your rating? Also, how do they come up with the amount for settlement?
I live in Oregon and was injured at work 2 years ago yesterday. I have had 4 shoulder surgeries, screws etc. Cervical injury was also accepted in the original claim. SS Disability accepted me in less than a month and my employer won't take me back...so I did get an attorney as I cannot live or buy Insurance on what I will get on SSD.
I also developed Carpal Tunnel due to having to stay in the sling/bolster for nearly 8 weeks. The Carpal Tunnel has been proven by tests.....but WC is questioning it and haven't accepted it as part of the claim as yet. I was sent to an Independent Exam as requested by WC the other day. It will be interesting to see how this comes out and I believe that I did the right thing by getting an attorney. I worked hard for years for that company and it was one of their clients that knocked me down. I have no idea what kind of a settlement to expect but am wondering if anyone out there has had similar multiple injuries. Good luck to you and I advise you to get an attorney.
RE: impairment settlement - e3mrk - 11-17-2007 01:26 PM
I had a Impairment Rating exam that I thought was low so My Attorney had Me get another one by another Doctor that gave Me a higher rating.
I later find out that the first Doctor was Busted for falsifying Patient Records.
It just goes to show that You should not accept anything the W/C Doctors say.
RE: impairment settlement - jacvern - 11-17-2007 01:49 PM
e3mrk Wrote:I had a Impairment Rating exam that I thought was low so My Attorney had Me get another one by another Doctor that gave Me a higher rating.
I later find out that the first Doctor was Busted for falsifying Patient Records.
It just goes to show that You should not accept anything the W/C Doctors say.
Thanks for the information. I don't know yet what the Independent Exam rating will be. They may even claim I do not have the Carpal Tunnel even though I had tests that show I have it and the "probable" cause by a respected physician in Medford, OR. I intend to do what I have to do as I NEVER had any symptoms of Carpal Tunnel before I had the shoulder surgeries. I have been in PT for 2 years (about 128 appointments) and am depressed and sick of it as it seems to go nowhere....yet I am told that I have to attend every appointment. I have no life of my own and the pain continues. I have been on Percocet for so long I am afraid that I may have to go into rehab (sort of joking) to get off of it. But my Ortho Doc insists that I take it regularly and especially before every PT which I have 3 to 4 times a week.
I would like to see the light at the end of the tunnel......but.....haven't a clue where this is going. I applied for SSD because I was afraid of having no income. I was told it would probably take several years and now they have accepted me immediately. I wonder how this will effect my WC settlement? I am still positive that getting an attorney was the only way to go.
Thanks for the input. jacvern
RE: impairment settlement - sparkey - 11-17-2007 04:19 PM
So why won't they do the carpal surgery? Did you have the open carpal surgery before? I am sort of in the same boat as being on pain meds and left to deal with my injury for life. I had carpal surgery on my dominant hand in 98 and after using a new computer system at work and taking blood for 15yrs. I ended up with tendonitis/carpal tunnel recurrance. They said they could not repeat the surgery or i would be damaged for life. I have now changed my career and still very depressed i had to leave something I loved doing.
What do you do for work? Or what did you do for work before you were injured? Is there any vocational rehab that you have been offered? As far as the pain meds, i know what you are talking about, and feel i am using them everyday now to be somewhat comfortable. I do feel i would be in rehab if they ever took me off of them, as i am so use to them now and admit i am addicted to them for pain. I use to be curled up in a ball in my bed with massive pain, would not talk to anyone etc. and i am petrified i may end up like that again without the meds.
I went to a fellow last month for refills and he thought i was on way to much meds for my age. He is absolutly right. He wants me to cut back on them, but they barely help me now as i had to be taken off the only thing that ever did work for me, and that is methadone.
Had I not been allergic to it, i would still be on it now. I am going for my rating next month, and hope to be done with WC so i can finally get the testing i need and get something done about what is causing this pain with my own health insurance. I cannot live like this forever. I wish you luck, and hope someone helps you with your pain, as i know how it feels to live like that.
RE: impairment settlement - jacvern - 11-17-2007 05:07 PM
sparkey Wrote:So why won't they do the carpal surgery? Did you have the open carpal surgery before? I am sort of in the same boat as being on pain meds and left to deal with my injury for life. I had carpal surgery on my dominant hand in 98 and after using a new computer system at work and taking blood for 15yrs. I ended up with tendonitis/carpal tunnel recurrance. They said they could not repeat the surgery or i would be damaged for life. I have now changed my career and still very depressed i had to leave something I loved doing.thanks, Sparkey........
What do you do for work? Or what did you do for work before you were injured? Is there any vocational rehab that you have been offered? As far as the pain meds, i know what you are talking about, and feel i am using them everyday now to be somewhat comfortable. I do feel i would be in rehab if they ever took me off of them, as i am so use to them now and admit i am addicted to them for pain. I use to be curled up in a ball in my bed with massive pain, would not talk to anyone etc. and i am petrified i may end up like that again without the meds.
I went to a fellow last month for refills and he thought i was on way to much meds for my age. He is absolutly right. He wants me to cut back on them, but they barely help me now as i had to be taken off the only thing that ever did work for me, and that is methadone.
Had I not been allergic to it, i would still be on it now. I am going for my rating next month, and hope to be done with WC so i can finally get the testing i need and get something done about what is causing this pain with my own health insurance. I cannot live like this forever. I wish you luck, and hope someone helps you with your pain, as i know how it feels to live like that.
I have not had the Carpal Tunnel surgery as yet...but have had the nerve tests that show I have it....I am just trying to get WC to admit that the C Tunnel appeared after the 3rd shoulder surgery when I was in the sling for so many weeks.
I am on Percocet and it does help although I could never think of taking it and driving myself to PT or anywhere the first two hrs after taking it. The point with the Carpal Tunnel is.......when I do have to have the surgery....WC should be responsible for it.....not me. I feel for you with the pain.......I haven't slept the way I used to before the accident and I wake up many times during the night and feel awful most days because of it and also the lingering pain and discomfort from having a bionic shoulder. Good luck to you.
RE: impairment settlement - jaspell - 11-21-2007 01:31 AM
alex3569 Wrote:I live in arkansas and was injured on the job, ripped rotator cuff and had to have surgery to repair and 4 screws to put tissue back on bone. Dont know what my rating is yet, but has anybody had something like this and what was your rating? Also, how do they come up with the amount for settlement?
The rating varies a lot. I dont know how they rate in Arkansas as I am in Connecticut however I would expect an 18% PPD to the arm if you lived here. The settlement (at least here) is largely related to what permanancy you get in shoulder cases..
Good luck to you. I have completely torn my rotator cuff off the bone, I have been putting off the surgery as I have been getting by and here a lot of horror stories about frozen shoulders and all that stuff. I'm a chicken
