Is there an appeals process for the doctor's 0% rating?

It sounds like you have a WC system similar to the WC system in California. WC has never been for the benefit of the employee. It is federally mandated but protects the employer from personal injury law suits.

The limit on attorney's fees limits the access to attorneys. In California, the employee can not even pay the attorney from his own funds. As a result, the only recourse is for the employee to self represent in the process.

Send me a PM and I can speak more directly to these issues. Some do not need to be discussed on a public forum.

I was in the same situation. My disability was recognized by not attributed to the work place injury. If you look further in the report, was there any mention of other causation?

Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford's office is pushing for federal WC rules to support the head injured patient. Maybe there is some help you can get from your Congress Critter. The way state systems deny the claims of head injured patients is abominable. I usually say, keep the feds out, but in this case, the feds started the WC system and it is broken and needs fixing.