Received a letter from Lawyer and IC

[red1030]

Thank all...I really appreciate all your responses. It has given me some good ideas and reminded me of some things I have heard here before. I have written it down on paper and then will sort it all out so I can go over it with my husband. My husband doesn't know anything about all this stuff. He doesn't show an interest. He just believes in his lawyer and that is it. I do also, but I believe in being proactice. I guess the other point is he doesn't care if they give him anything or not, he just wants to be free of pain and to recieve healthcare. And that he is recieving.

Thanks for the site Bad Boy...I added it too my favorits under w/c. It has a lot of good ideas about depositions and answering questions.

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Red, always steer straight. And remember the shortest path is always in a straight line.

[Spring]

Hi Red....I can't help with the FCE. But as you can see by all the wonderful responds you have gotten the others have taken care of you.

As for signing the medical releases...I had to do it. I never signed anything until I got the attorney. Then I got a letter to list all the Dr's I had seen in the last 15 years. I had only seen 2. And wc didn't believe me. But is was true. I had never had any problems till my injury. I just never ran to a Dr for everything...went to the health food store. My attorney says that wc is looking for something in my past to blame my injury on. So that is why they send the medical releases to all the Dr's and hospitals in the area. So if your husband never used these Dr's heck it will keep wc busy for a while...and they aren't going to find anything. It just like my attorney says...you have nothing to hide let them check it will give them something to do. I was fine with it as long as it didn't go back to my days of giving birth to my children that is very personal to my family.

As for IME...Please do as Bad Boy has said. Everyone has different reports of thier exams with IME DR's. Mine was a nightmare. I did video tape per my attorneys advice. Still in Limbo says don't let the Dr grab you...and I can tell you one of the Dr's I had did that I wasn't raising my arm highing so he tried to help me and he grabbed my arm and started to raise it higher. They do it. I have had a couple of IME's the nightmare for several hours. And one was for 20 minutes. So you just never know. You know we will be here. This was when I joined the group...I was so scared. My last IME was months ago..and I am still waiting for a for a full report. Keep posting all your concerns these guys/gals are so full of help.

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Here is my best one. You go to the IME, they will have you fill out papers and such. On one of the papers, it will ask, Who To Call In Case Of An Emergency? Let me tell you this, would you want them call a person? And why give them information they don't need and is personal. I write down (911). They will call you up to the desk, and say that is incorrect. You tell them no, that if there is an emergency, you want them to call (911) and the hospital can call whom ever they like from that point on. remember, no Doctor, wants a Patient being taken out by an Ambulance.

[red1030]

Thanks everyone...your support and information is so wonderful. I agree Bad Boy it must be straight. I talked to the legal secretary again today about the release forms and about receiving care at the VA. (I talk to her because she and I have a good relationship, she and my husband do not) She told me that they are searching for information because they do not believe the information that they recieved from the VA several months ago. I don't remember my husband signing release forms but she said he did for his doctor while he was working, the VA where he is receiving care now, and the two pharmacies where he receives his medicine. The IC has all that information but they are searching the area for more. She stated they are looking for something to blaime the injury on versus work.

I agree Spring. There is nothing to hide so it does not matter what they read. My husband is a diabetic so there is a lot of information about that. The lawyer said that they will try to use this information to say he was predisposed to this kind of accident. He also said in New Jersey there is a law about aggravated injuries so he said not to worry about it.

Thank you....

[sistylou]

Hi everyone i am new to this web sight but have been on wc for about three years just recieved a letter for a rating msc hearing does this mean i am close to settling?

[1171]

sistylou: you can start a new thread by going to the top of the page and selecting
NEW THREAD from the box in the right side or clicking here
http://www.workerscompensation.com/forum....php?fid=4
make sure you include what state laws your claim is under.
in general a hearing can be scheduled to resolve any issue; they are not just for settlements.

[sparkey]

Red,

I just want to say be careful and do not expect much from this IME doctor. He like others have said is paid from the WC IC. He is there to lower your hubbys rating or cut off his medications etc. They will do anything to get the money they were paid for the whole 10-20 mins. they were paid for. My IME doctor had all the medical records in front of him. They were sent to him and me from the WC IC lawyer before the visit.

The IME doctor just asked me questions and I told him only simple, single line answers. He asked me to do one test with my hands and that was it. He could not even get the state right in his report where he saw me. I did give a copy of his report to my Occ. doctor who did my rating and also my PM doctor and they both wrote a letter disagreeing with this IME doctor. It did me no good at the hearing. They still found the IME doctor more credible.

I think if I had a lawyer they would of had a higher rating somewhere in between the 10-32%. I am just thankful they still just pay for my treatments monthly. Like your husband, that is all I want. I use my insurance co. to pay for my medication and have less hassles trying to get them now.

[cnaz]

Thanks all for the info as we have an IME coming up soon too.

One comment tho to something bad boy wrote:

"No Health Care Office can release any information even if you sign a release from the IC anyway, without him signing a release at the health care office, Hippa does come into play there, and those Laws can protect you, to records not with-in his case. "

Actually they can release info based on the IC release without doing a seperate one of thier own. Many clinics do ask for it to also be on thier own form, but it can be released based on a release being sent to them. You can write in any limitations you want on the release and you can revoke it anytime you want as well, as long as its in writing. I just wanted to clarify about HIPPA not requiring double releases but individual medical providers can.


Good Luck Red.