Foot problems in Tennessee

[wingnut]

Hello! I'm glad I found this forum. I am a Red Wings fan - hence my choice of nic.

I am in Tennessee, am working for a temp agency in a global company. I walk approximately 50,000 steps in a 10-hour shift, 4 days per week. I have always had foot problems (bunions). I have had a total of 3 corrective surgeries. Amazingly, the problem I am having is with my heel. Very painful, gets worse as the day wears on, and by the end of my 40-hour work week, I am hobbling like an 80-year old.

I went to my employer (the temp agency on site), and told the rep about the troubles I am having. She took me into the Safety office of the host company and explained the trouble I am having. Their Safety director immediately said, "that's not a work comp issue, it's a human function issue and is not covered". He diagnosed me on the spot with falling arches, suggested I buy better shoes and go back to work.

I do not have insurance, as the temp agency told me initially that I would be hired on within 3-4 weeks, and by the time I was told that they weren't hiring after all, I had missed the temp agency's cut off for their insurance (60 days).

My questions:

*Is the Safety rep qualified to diagnose me?
*Is seeing a doctor my next step?
*Would my bunion history disqualify me, even if the issue is not with the forefoot, but the hind foot?

I know I am being overly broad, but I don't even know where to start. I do know that I have to get off my feet.

Thanks for any help you can give!

[sparkey]

No the safety guy is not a doctor. I would fill out the WC form and go see a doctor to get a better diagnosis. That is where I would start. It is up to WC do decide if it is work related or not. Not the safety officer. What type of work do you do that you are on your feet all day?

[hurt at work]

im with sparkey fill out the wc forms and then hopefully you can see a real doctor that can help you.good luck my friend.hurt

[oblivyous]

hurt at work Wrote:im with sparkey fill out the wc forms and then hopefully you can see a real doctor that can help you.good luck my friend.hurt

heck, you mean safety officers are qualified to be drs' ? Guess i missed out on that carreer move ! LOL. Dont forget to contact a lawyer as well , to discuss your case .

[1171]

The employer needs to provide you with a panel of physicians.
I would put the recent events in writing and once again notify the employer that you believe you have a work injury. hand it to the safety representative.
You may also want to find the name and phone number of the work comp carrier which should be posted. You can contact them directly and send them a copy of your injury notification statement.
I would also complete a C-40a request for assistance form
http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/forms/c40a.pdf

if you have more questions or problems relating to a workers' compensation injury, call 1-800-332-2667 (within Tennessee) or 615/532-4812.
you can find out more about tennessee workers comp here
http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/wcfaq.html

[wingnut]

Thanks, all. I work in Purchasing on the Kanban system, supplying parts for the factory floor. I have to walk from one end of the factory to the other to pick up, then return Kanban cards, every hour on the hour. I do this for 10 hours per day. It is the worst job I have ever had. Like I said, I have never had good feet, and this is making them sooo much worse.

The little that I have read so far - the rep for the temp agency, "my employer", should have completed some kind of form and given me a choice of 2 doctors. She did neither. Just told me to go buy good shoes. She even showed me a pair of Curves tennis shoes in an Avon catalog "in case I didn't have much money to spend".

I am going to go ahead and put it in writing, and go to my own doctor. From what I have read - if the Kelly rep fails to give me info about doctors, I can choose my own.

Should I wait until I see a doctor and get a determination (work related or not) before I talk to an attorney?

I so conflused.

[Tuffy]

Wingnut, Welcome to the forum.

You really do not need, an attorney yet. First you need to fill out the claim papers,for a work injury and turn them in to the company, Then you need to see a Dr, theres or yours, to have your injury diaganosed, You may have a severe injury, or maybe just need different shoes. But leave it up to the Dr to decide. Then come back here and let us know and we will walk you through the rest of the WC maze... Good luck.

[wingnut]

Thanks, Tuffy. I will do that. I appreciate the warm welcome, and in reading some of the experiences here, feel blessed that mine is not worse than it is. I will let y'all know how things go.

[sparkey]

Exactly what Tuffy said. There is no need for a lawyer at this point. Get the paperwork filled out, see a doctor and make sure that you say it is work related when you go to the doctor. Then someone from the ic should contact you and see what happened and get information to decide if it is work related or not.

Do they have cement floors or are they carpeted?? If you are on your feet all day, you should have some sort of padding so as to not cause injury to your feet. Same as if someone is standing at a computer all day, there should be a mat to support them. It is ergonomics friendly to have these items in place for working.

As far as the woman for " AVON ". Is she selling you shoes?? Now that is the most silliest thing I have ever heard. If you have something wrong with your feet, you should have a foot doctor decide what type of shoes or inserts you should be using. Not a woman who sells AVON!!!!

[Lilly]

Good Luck Wingnut!
Your work superiors sound like real "Gems" !

Prayers and a warm welcome for you! Lilly