As Per Tweety's Request: Games W/C Plays!!

[Still in Limbo]

As most of you know, my injuries from work have left me totally disabled, allowing me many opportunities when I can set long enough to read a lot of sites, and my Attorney has been great on answering any questions I've had. Sometimes our phone conversations have gone on for 45 minutes to an hour, and you all know how rare that is today.

On another post, Tweety asked me to start a thread on the games w/c plays when they feel it's time for you to go back to work, well or not, so I thought I'd post a few that I know from experience and researching. Now trust me, I'm by no means an expert in the world of w/c, so after I post a few, please add to my list so we can better help the folks in the back to work time scenario of this Hell we live in called w/c!!

1) IME (Independent Medical Exam) A tool used by w/c to set restrictions for an injured worker to return to work. These Dr.'s are paid for by the i/c and more than not their job is to get you back to work A.S.A.P., sometime even before you've healed. These exams more than not are one sided towards the Employer and restrictions are set higher than the worker can perform. The best I can say about this is if at all possible, ask for a second opinion of your IME before returning to work, if by law you are not allowed one, please read number 2.

2) Staying within your restrictions: If you have no choice but to return to work with restrictions, by no means do you do anything outside of your restrictions. Employers/Managers have been known to try and ploy the injured worker to do something outside of their restrictions, either by a threat of being fired, or by putting the injured worker in a situation where they may have to work beyond their restrictions. If this occurs, contact either your Attorney or Treating Physician A.S.A.P. Do not do as asked if above your restrictions, and if sent home document time, who sent you home, and any witnesses that may have overheard. Try to get a written reason you are being sent home. The reason I've spent so much time on this subject is simple, if they can get you working above your restrictions, and document it, you can lose all of your benefits!!

3) Do Not Quit!: This is usually the easiest one for the Employer. They will find ways to harass you, upset you, anger you, belittle you, in hope that you quit your job. If you get to the point they want and quit, you are in jeopardy of losing your benefits. again, Document, Document, Document and contact your Attorney as things develop.

4) If you cannot work within your restrictions: Sometimes the injured worker goes back to work hoping they can work within their restrictions and get on with their life, only to find out they are not really ready to return to work yet. If this happens, and work is too painful to do, Inform your supervisor of your situation and ask if you can be allowed to return to your Dr. as you feel your not ready to come back yet. Hopefully they will allow this, but if not, and the pain is severe, go to the ER Immediately for care, and make an Emergency Appt. with your treating Dr. If your Dr. pulls you from work, your benefits will be reinstated until the Dr. releases you back to the workplace. If the Dr. does not pull you from work and you feel they are wrong, contact your Attorney and request a second opinion of your injuries.

5) This probably should of been first, but I wanted to get some workplace info. out there before this. As the bottom of my Signature reads: "Workers Comp. is not a road to be traveled alone, know your rights and Protect them nobody else will." I can't stress enough having a certified w/c Attorney on your side to help you along the way while being an Injured Worker! So many time I've seen folks come on the Board here asking for help, and it's too late to help, the damage is already done. If you are reading this post, for example, you must feel somethings not right with your case, therefore you are looking for assistance. Hire and retain an Attorney!! Your Medical care and livelihood is at stake as an Injured Worker, and you need your rights protected!!

Now I could go on, but this is already a Novel, but I feel a good start to answering some questions. Please everyone, feel free to add to what I have posted, correct me if you think I am wrong, and let's keep this post going with valuable info. I know there are folks out there with more to add, and I hope you all do!! Have a Great Day!!