Wondering what if anything I can do now

[Venia]

Okay, I’m hoping someone can help me figure out if there is anything I can do now or if I have any options. I apologize now for the length of this.

The history is I was injured on the job back in June of 2007. Ended up tearing my meniscus in my left knee, was told I needed surgery and went in a couple months later for it. I was told the surgery would be simple and routine. As a result of the surgery I ended up having severe pain in the entire left leg. I went for various treatments from pain pills, to physical therapy to nerve blocks and radio frequency burning of the nerves. For a brief while I did get a little better, was given an impairment rating and then received ppd payments. I made sure that before taking the payments that if I needed to return to the doctors that I would be able to do so.

Sure enough the pain still continued to be extremely hard to live with so I ended up going back to the surgeon, who once again decided to go back in the knee surgically and try and clean up the meniscus. So in 2010 I had a second surgery. After I woke up from the surgery the surgeon explained that the meniscus was in awful shape and he ended up removing almost all of it leaving me with approx 10% meniscus in my left knee.

The pain has gotten worse since the second surgery and the surgeon diagnosed me as having Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. I ended up having to go for a functional capacaity eval (FCE) with a physical therapist who was going to send the results back to the surgeon. This all happened in the fall of 2011.

Workers Comp has been great about paying all the bills and I can only imagine that they have been very pricey. I know that workers comp received all the paperwork but I haven’t heard anything else from them. My doctors and surgeon have all said that they can’t do anything else for me except for prescribe pain patches and pain pills (pills are used sparingly because they don’t work well enough to have to deal with all the side effects they cause).

I’m ridiculously frustrated because I’m in constant pain from a condition that apparently has no real cure. My immediate supervisor who has been with me all through this is getting ready to leave, and he understands my limitations on the job. A new supervisor doesn’t have to be so accommodating, so I want to have something concrete to show what my impairment is. My job requires a lot of standing and walking for long periods of time, which I can do, but get exhausted easily. It also involves bending or squatting (I work for Parks and Rec) which I can barely do. I don’t really want to call work comp for fear that it would sound like I’m trying to get money, I really just want to know what my new impairment rating is. My surgeon said it would be changing but he would need to review the FCE and then make his own notes for Workers Comp.

It’s been over 4 months and I haven’t heard anything. Does that seem right to anyone? Or should I just thank my lucky stars that they have paid the bills and see about finding a new job? I don’t know what happens with workers compensation when you are technically injured for the rest of your life because of it. Any help or insight would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! I live in New Mexico if that helps at all.

[UndercovrAngel]

I am sorry to hear that you suffer from RSD/CRPS. It isn't a fun disease to try and handle day to day. I have suffered with it since a tarsal tunnel surgery on my right ankle went wrong in 10/2007. It now encapsulates both legs, toes to hips. I am surprised no one has tried to push you into trying an SCS (spinal cord stimulator) to try and rewire your mind and leg into believing the pain isn't there. And yes, you are right, there is no cure, but if caught early enough, and pursued progressively, it can go into remission.

I would call your CA and find out if they have received the results of the FCE. In fact, regardless of whether they have or not, I would request a complete copy of your WC claim file, which is your right to have and ask that any subsequent forms/papers that come in, a copy be forwarded to you. You can also call you POR and ask that he send you a complete copy of treatment record including any/all copies of last FCE. Also, if you recall the name of the Dr that did the FCE, you can call and request a copy of said FCE from s/he. It is your right, as the patient to have a copy of every single record/test/evaluation etc that pertains to your claim and all treatment that you received during your claim.

Angel ^j^