Broken ribs & lots more!

[TexasBoy]

Howdy!

Lemme begin my case by explaining what happened. I could use all the advise I can get from here.

I used to be a heavy equipment operator and at the time of the accident we were recycling concrete.

I was injured at work when I got pinned between a front loader and a screen that separates rebar from crushed concrete. This happened on the 22nd of December 2010. I was air lifted to a hospital and was told I have 12 broken ribs, numbers 1-6 on each side of the rib cage plus a minor lung puncture.

I was put on workers comp and have been home for over 3 months now. My last appt with my doctor was on the 17th of March where we got results of a CatScan they conducted on my back. I was suffering from immense pain, I still do, in my back and my chest. The doctor told me I have some broken parts in my vertebra column which ideally will not heal.

Shockingly enough he went ahead and cleared me, says I have reached my MMI and I can keep taking the medicine for the pain untill I develop a resistance to it

I was immediately taken off my workers comp benefits the following day and now we are waiting for an impairment rating appt to be scheduled.

Do you know how long it should take for this? My back and chest hurt pretty much all the time, its worse during the night as I can not sleep on my back or my chest. To top it all while I was healing, my boss went ahead and sold the company I was working for so now I do not have a job to get back to, not that I am in any shape of doing that kind of heavy duty work right now.

Any advise on the above? should it take weeks for my IC to schedule the appt?

Any responses would be appreciated![/font]

[1171]

rating exams are different in every case. it depends on the issues; every doctor has their own schedule & patient load.
probably get notified of the exam within 30 days.

in the mean time find out more about texas comp here:
http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/indexwc.html

you might try unemployment because you won't have money for awhile and even then it won't be enough to live on.

[bronco54501]

TexasBoy, Sounds like they rushed you through the system.. What kind of broken parts are you talking about..? I dont see how you could be placed at mmi with that diag.. But I'm not from your state, laws differ... I can relate to the broken ribs, I was in a head on with a 12 yard plow truck while working.. I also broke 14 ribs, punctured lung, 7 pelvis fractures, fractured hip socket amongst other injuries... It seems like the ribs never want to heal, i'm 3+ years after and still have pain and preasure...

I have to ask you... can you remember the pain or did the sudden shock take over...? I was knocked out for at least 10 min, when I came to It was the most extreme pain imaginable.. And of course the couldnt give me nothing for the pain due to head trama.. On the way to hospital shock must have kicked in and the great mind went into survival and dont remember much after...

[TexasBoy]

@bronco54501

You have been through a lot more but I can certainly relate!

I am from Texas and the broken parts on the back, seems to be known as Pedicles. Two on the same row have bent downwards according to my CatScan, doc says can not do anything to change that and healing may not be an option since its not broke, just bend downwards.

I was married just 6 months when the accident happened so when I got on the ground, my only focus was to pray that I make it through this for my wife"s sake, pain was unbearable and sleeping on that wooden plank for over 4 hrs did not help the back at all.