Need help please....1171 or anyone.....

[risingeagle222]

I was put at MMI in October and given a 0% rating. Yesterday I had an IME exam and this doctor says i need to have the surgery redone for 2 trigger fingers as i cant straighten my 2 fingers and they are very swollen and painful.
Was this doctor suppose to give me a rating at this IME??
Now I finally just started a new job on friday and this doctor said i need to tell them my problem and that they wouldnt keep me working knowing this.
So I lose my job again over my hands and have no income at all??? I mean..... seems if I can't work comp needs to pay me until my hands are fixed or not???
Please help...........any input would be greatly apreciated as we will be homeless soon at this rate as my hubby is disabled and can't work either.
Thanks so much!!!!!!

[stiffnecked]

It should go like this, you contact the IC tell them the IME doctor is taking you off work. That should start up your temporary disability benefits again.
In the real world it probably won't work like that.

What did your attorney say when you told him about the results of the IME?

[1171]

Usually the IME is just to give an opinion not necessarily only a rating.
Whether or not they restart temporary benefits may depend on your decision on surgery.
If you decide against it then you need a rating; if you go ahead they should restart them.

[risingeagle222]

Well the lawyer said what we had needed was a rating...............which of course I didnt know. I dont know that this IME doctor is going to be willing to give me a rating. He didnt even know if he really wanted to take my case because he said he doesn't have the time to be messing with court and depositions and things.
Lawyer told me I didnt need to tell me new employer but I did anyway as I feel i need to be honest with them as none of this is their fault.
Now the doctor never came right out and said don't work...........he said when i told my emplyer about this i wouldnt have a job anyway because if i did any further damage i could come back on my new employer.
Is this common to have to have this surgery redone or did the first surgeon mess up???
What if i decline the surgery 1171??? what happens as far as comp goes??? will they want to settle with options of having this fixed at a later date?
I do know that I can't go alot longer like this but will have to keep an income coming in somehow!!

[1171]

Things get very "iffy" when you drill down to very specific details on very specific cases.
It's difficult to give precise information. Especially with each state having different laws. i'm going mostly on generalities here.

Normally I would say surgeries go wrong a lot more times then patients want to believe. I know there is a big business in doctors who try to do "clean-up work"-- and they have even a greater failure rate.
It sounds like you really want a rating and to move on.
I suspect one problem that might comeup is that you have a lot more disability then normal and the carrier may balk at the substantial PD payout.

did you go to plastic surgeon or a hand specialist?
what about the IME? what's their board certification?

Your attorney maybe able to talk the IME into giving a rating in a supplemental report if they know you are (at least for the present) refusing surgery.

I wish i could offer more.

Have there been any discussions on a cash buyout?
the prospect of a less then optimal second surgery with many months before another MMI attempt and settlement may motivate them to make a decent offer.

[risingeagle222]

Thanks so much 1171.........................i appreciate your input and all that you do here to try and educate us injured workers!!!! Thanks again!!

[1171]

Be well.