02-03-2015, 10:51 PM
Located and injured in state of FL
Injury occurred June, 2013, although injury is an RSI so developed over time. Bilateral carpal tunnel diagnosis, instructed not to use hands by dr. IME evaluated and confirmed diagnosis, attributed to work, also recommended limited use of hands. NCS showed bilateral cts, hand specialist was assigned by ins co, who at no point disputed work related injury. 12/13 had right cts release and was sent for physical therapy which had to be stopped soon after due to pain. Dr determined cts was not only problem and requested ins co approve a dequervain's release right hand. 5/14 had surgery for dequervain's, started therapy, stopped soon after again due to severe pain. Note at this point nothing has been done for left hand and right hand is still inoperable for simplest tasks such as folding laundry. Hand specialist frustrated and requested a second opinion as well as pain management specialist. Ins co ignored second opinion request and approved pain management. PM saw me for 5 minutes ordered a new NCS, which showed nothing new. Ordered an FCE, fce said after one minute of finite hand movements grasp decreases 80%, also stated I can do those types of movements from .5-2.5 hours a day (I am a bank teller, finite hand movements are imperative). PM barely glanced at report and sent me away saying it would be a good thing for my new hand dr to have (at this point i had no second opinion in the works because ins still hadn't acknowledged dr's request. Got a copy of a letter sent to state comp board two weeks later saying benefits were stopped and i could return to work. Called ins asked who released me, was told pm did no restrictions , only recourse was to request a change of physician, which I proceeded to do in writing which I then confirmed was received. Case worker said it could be weeks before dr she found decides to approve me as a new patient. I heard nothing for a few weeks and then after the holidays when i called to follow up i was informed my case worker was out, and someone else would be helping me. After a few minutes explaining that I was looking for the name and number of dr authorized to treat me, he informed me notes in file said dr would not take me as new patient, only a second opinion. I proceeded to ask why second opinion hadn't taken place since it was requested months ago, was informed my file was large and he would look through it and call me back same day. Next day I had heard nothing, called and emailed was informed he had no time for me at that moment and I could either wait or call someone else. I have heard nothing from him, or my caseworker in a month, not a peep from my employer on record. Trying to choose a lawyer when dealing with such a small amount of money seems to be an impossible feat. I have no idea if I have a job, and even if I do I can't do it, it also appears that my ins co no longers gives a crap as they have far exceeded their five days to get me a new dr.
Injury occurred June, 2013, although injury is an RSI so developed over time. Bilateral carpal tunnel diagnosis, instructed not to use hands by dr. IME evaluated and confirmed diagnosis, attributed to work, also recommended limited use of hands. NCS showed bilateral cts, hand specialist was assigned by ins co, who at no point disputed work related injury. 12/13 had right cts release and was sent for physical therapy which had to be stopped soon after due to pain. Dr determined cts was not only problem and requested ins co approve a dequervain's release right hand. 5/14 had surgery for dequervain's, started therapy, stopped soon after again due to severe pain. Note at this point nothing has been done for left hand and right hand is still inoperable for simplest tasks such as folding laundry. Hand specialist frustrated and requested a second opinion as well as pain management specialist. Ins co ignored second opinion request and approved pain management. PM saw me for 5 minutes ordered a new NCS, which showed nothing new. Ordered an FCE, fce said after one minute of finite hand movements grasp decreases 80%, also stated I can do those types of movements from .5-2.5 hours a day (I am a bank teller, finite hand movements are imperative). PM barely glanced at report and sent me away saying it would be a good thing for my new hand dr to have (at this point i had no second opinion in the works because ins still hadn't acknowledged dr's request. Got a copy of a letter sent to state comp board two weeks later saying benefits were stopped and i could return to work. Called ins asked who released me, was told pm did no restrictions , only recourse was to request a change of physician, which I proceeded to do in writing which I then confirmed was received. Case worker said it could be weeks before dr she found decides to approve me as a new patient. I heard nothing for a few weeks and then after the holidays when i called to follow up i was informed my case worker was out, and someone else would be helping me. After a few minutes explaining that I was looking for the name and number of dr authorized to treat me, he informed me notes in file said dr would not take me as new patient, only a second opinion. I proceeded to ask why second opinion hadn't taken place since it was requested months ago, was informed my file was large and he would look through it and call me back same day. Next day I had heard nothing, called and emailed was informed he had no time for me at that moment and I could either wait or call someone else. I have heard nothing from him, or my caseworker in a month, not a peep from my employer on record. Trying to choose a lawyer when dealing with such a small amount of money seems to be an impossible feat. I have no idea if I have a job, and even if I do I can't do it, it also appears that my ins co no longers gives a crap as they have far exceeded their five days to get me a new dr.
