STD or WCI???

[Skipperoakes]

Thanks for the info folks. I have discussed this with many people and will continue. On my last visit my Doctor said that I should be re-tested. I did the needle test again (ouch), and the results were worse than the first test. I drive truck for a living so being able to get in and out of the truck is pretty important. I will keep y'all up to date on what's going on.

PS
I talked to my HR lady and she said I had to disclose weather it is STD or WC. I have to say WC because I said it when it happened and it did happen at work.

TTYL

Chris

[rholmes]

Hello everyone,

Ok I am a little confused here. When you say STD do you mean your private ins. that pays if you are injured anywhere on top of w/c or state disability? I have my own disability ins. through the Combined ins. co. and they pay you short term disability payments on top of what ever else you get. Although I have heard in the past couple of years they have changed some things and they deduct so much for your w/c payments I am under an old contract and it doesn't affect me. While I was off I recieved the Max for CA. w/c for 2006 and $1,400.00 a month from my combined ins and one did not affect the other. But like i said I was under the old contract I have had combined for about 10 years and it really is a God send. We always think we can't afford to pay the payments on that type of ins. but when we need it we find out how smart we were. It surly did save me this time although it only pays for 6 months it helped me make it through the rough times.

Good luck

RH

[kate]

If it happened at work, you should file a WC claim. Did the doctor say it was work related? That will make a difference in whether the claim is accepted or not.

[cchovanec1@yahoo.com]

Skipperoakes Wrote:He guys and gals,I am looking for some advice. I drive a ready-mix truck up here in Minnesota. About 4 months ago I was opening the door to my work truck and thought i broke my left middle finger. (The door sometimes sticks). So anyway, I talk to my batch man (EMT/Firefighter), he suggests I got to urgent care and get it checked out.Triage nurse asks if this was work related I said it was and filled out the paper work she gave me. X-rays were normal, ER Doc says might be Carpal Tunnel. He says to follow up with my regular Dr. and gave me a splint to wear. I did all that and still had a numb middle finger. I get tests done and am told I need to have surgery to repair the carpal tunnel. Problem is I will be out of work 6-8 weeks and short term disability (STD) only pays 300/wk. Not nearly enough to live on. I have a wife and 4 kids to support and 300/week isn't going to do that.Should I accept short term disability or file a workmans comp claim? ANY SUGGESTIONS WILL BE APPRECIATED.Thanks,Skipper Oakes

Hello, Well, I am in a similiar type situation. Please assure your STD benefits with your company will cover work related type injuries(every co policy is different. Personally I would file W/c as your oop will be zero. My only concern is that I hear alot of the Insurance companies are stating carpal tunnel may not be work related, so again you may file w/c and then have your clm denied. I am not a lawyer, but be sure to notify your employer of your injury.. Good luck  

[katicabogar]

Hi, Skipperorakes,

I had five surgeries in two years on both hands for carpal tunnel/tendonytis and trigger thumbs.
After my last surgery in 2006 I was unable to return to my occupation, so my employer fired me.
I am not working about two years now and my hands are not better. In fact, I have additional problems what I didn't have before the surgeries, mainly with my shoulders/arms. Also, all of my fingers cramp up, especially at night. I am unable to lift even one pound with one hand, have to use both.

Now my doctor thinks, I was misdiagnosed for carpal tunnel, as I may have herniated disk in my neck/back. He wants to do mri but he is 90% sure that's what happened.

My advice to you: before you decide having the carpal tunnel surgery, use your private insurance to rule out herniated disk or any other neck/back problem.
In my case, w/c doesn't want to pay for any more tests or treatment and now after four years of my injury, I am still in pain, without job, without medical insurance and so without treatment.

If you go for the surgery, as w/c pays usually 66% of your salary, you can extend this with your sick time, later vacation time to 100% so you wouldn't loose pay while out of work.
After you used up all of your sick/vacation time, you would be able to use the short term disability to extend your w/c pay to 100% .

Good luck.
Kat

[sparkey]

Also not to scare you but, some people come out of surgery with more trouble than they had before the surgery. Like others have said here, try the other alternatives such as cortizone shots, therapy etc. before you have surgery.

Like I stated in my other posting, I am having complications again down the road and it could possibly show up later in life with problems for you. Get a few doctors opinions first also, and i would say you would definitly have to now claim it as a wc claim. My first surgery I did not claim it as work related, and now the lawyers for the ic are trying to say it may be a pre-existing injury from the origional surgery. I was fine for 10 yrs. working till I got to the point I could not even hold the needle anymore.