Originally Posted by unwell

Hi LeftHanded.

I am in Texas. My case is a Federal Workers Comp through the Dept of Labor.
My employer has worked with me and I have been on a light duty post (with restrictions) since the injury, and I have received normal pay for working that post full time.
The only time I didn't was when I have surgery on my injured knee, I went on leave with out pay and workers comp came in and paid me back for the recovery time I was out. When I came back, I resumed the light duty post.
I am required by my job to have a duty status filled out every 30 days. So I see my doctor he fills it out. My knee is till not right, I am in pain when I step on it, I have been telling this to doctor since two months after the surgery, trying to get him to do something to fix it. Well in April he states that he thinks the knee has reached MMI and that it time to get an impairment rating. Its not what I want but I know that everything is coming to a head, I say okay.
To shorten this, they make an appointment for the impairment rating, then cancel it because my CE kicked the order back because it was for a 4th ed. and she has to a 6th. edition according to policy.
Then my doctor cancels my regular appointment and I tell them I still have to have my duty status paperwork filled out, well...its apparent they don't care.
So I call my CE at owcp, she told me my options, go on leave with out pay because I do have the paperwork to keep in the light duty post and YES eventually the owcp will order an impairment rating. Or I could find a doctor who does 6th edition myself, she also told me I could change doctors.
The problem isn't the impairment rating, it is getting the duty status report that allows me to stay on light duty while the rest of this hashed out.
I have been trying to get another wc doctor to take me, I haven't found anyone who will yet, due to how long since the injury.

I stand to lose my job (maybe that's meant to happen) I am five years from retirement. Honestly if I thought I could tough it out I would say screw it and go back on full duty. I cannot effectively climb a flight of stairs walk a short distance (let alone run), since the surgery and its getting worse, when the weather has pressure it the air, I have to grab onto furniture to make across my home. I am in pain, I am not being treated, I have been given nothing for the pain. My job has actually be very patient and accommodating but they have to paperwork to back me up. I am so frustrated.

So after numerous phone calls (nearly begging) and numerous phone calls not be returned to me. I went on leave with out pay starting today, and yeah the owcp will do something because they are not going to want to pay me, nor is a guarantee that they will pay. My job said, if I get the documentation I can go back to my light duty post off LWOP.

I know its end game so to speak, but if I can get better by medically doing something I want to do that so I can keep my job. If I have to disability retire...well I just don't see how they can say I am at MMI, I am a realist I don't expect to be able to run a marathon, but I do expect my own doctor to listen to me and do something, and I certainly expect him to see this through.