What rmschaver said! A nice concise list of good advice.

•I might add that when you are injured it is W/C's job to get you back to pre-injury status, or as close as possible (MMI). There is every chance you will end up living with pain and limitations. "Just fix it so I can go back to work" tends to work better with our cars than it does with our bodies.

•Once you have an attorney representing you, you most likely will be unable to discuss your claim with your adjuster. Keep in mind attorneys are often slower at returning your call than adjusters. As an adjuster for 13 years I couldn't tell you how many calls I got from claimants complaining that their attorney would not return their calls. That is not your adjuster's problem.

•Vocational counselors are there to find you employable doing anything . . . not something that pays what you had been earning. If you are lucky they will work with your employer to get you back to work at your old job, or another position that fits your new capabilities. If not, be prepared to be told you can do a number of jobs you would never consider doing in your lifetime.

•Your adjuster, nurse or voc may be really nice, but do not be fooled into thinking they are your friend. Many an injured worker got a rude awakening believing this to be true. Some CAN be very nice, and maybe even conscientiously decent, but who is paying their bill? Remember that formula!

•Keep in touch with everyone. After each physician visit call your adjuster and your employer with an update. It looks good, and documenting that you have been diligent never hurts.

•If you have an intervening illness unrelated to your injury, see your PCP. If you have to miss therapy, or treatments, or an office visit with your W/C A/P, it will help. Likewise, it is not unheard of that treatment of an illness might postpone treatment of our work injury, so you will want this documented.

•If you are injured in therapy report it to your A/P. Ask if it should be included now in your covered conditions.

•And yes, always be as polite as possible. And if for some reason your do lose your cool, apologize. It keeps your working relationship free of unnecessary tension.

•Often it feels like you are "doing all the work" on your claim. Get used to it. Get over it. No one else is going to do the things that fall to you as well, as diligently, with as much desire to see them done as you do.

If a doctor writes you a referral or script and they are not a work comp doc, work comp can not prevent you from same. They may threaten to not pay but that is easier said than done. Work comp may try to claim it was un-needed but they have to prove why. Once a doctor has signed his/her signature they are committed. They will fight for that commitment. To rescind a script or referral sets them up for a lawsuit.

My advice that I wish I could go back and do over - Do not tell your supervisor\manager ANYTHING concerning your injurie(s). Only provide work notes from doctor that is it!!!! I actually though the questions my manager kept asking me were out of concern. I was in an auto accident and that is something most people relate to in their own families at one time or another. It ultimately caused my employer to make revisions to job and others road blocks to returning me in any capacity; however disability will tell you if you can blink, talk, push a button then, you should be able to work doing something.( there is not concern if the job doesnt pay but min wage) there is no correlation to what you were doing prior to injury\accident and how that can alter your life and well being in all aspects. Checking tickets at Costco doesnt begin to compare to being a systems engineer. Also understand your benefits prior to getting hurt on the job. I wasnt all that concerned with them as I though they existed so who thinks something is ever going to happen to you to actually need to use them.

HR departments are nothing more that mouth pieces for the corporation they serve, and WILL DO NOTHING to aid an employee when a Manager or the Company are engaging in suspect\wrong\corrupt\deceitful behavior.

Also please take a look at your own auto policy,
LTD policy if you have one. If you can afford it, increase your underinsured motorist coverage. I was hit by a drunk driver who cannot even be located by their own insurance carrier and they had\have nothing which by law means they pay you nothing! Your own insurance foots the bill and then if you dont have descent coverage yourself, well you are SOL. Oh and if this is also a work related MVA - WC your helath insurance, LTD, or private insurance policy are intitled to everything they spent first and foremost, and that is before your atty get all of their expenses paid etc.. so in the end little to nothing from almost nothing leaves absolutely nothing! Just trying to keep it REAL.