I have a W/C question for lefthanded. I am an injured worker in the state of Ohio. I have been off work for 8months due to my injury. I have a C6/C7 rupture, multiple lumbar sprain (these dont bother me that much anymore) and lower lumbar discongenic disease. Then neck and discongenic disease has become pretty dibilatating for me. All these have been allowed on my claim and backed up by MRI's and EMGS. Though I need surgery my dr says with me only being 30 it would be in my best interest to not have it.. I have had 2 Epidural pain injection as well as 20 plus physical therapy visits. Today I had a dr apt with a workers comp dr for a Individual Medical Evaluation. Although it was more like a bias medical evaluation, he was very contradicting tried to catch me up in a lie over and over again. I was completely upfront and honest with him has I have been with the 4 other drs who have seen me for my case and who all agree with my diagnosis. When he wakled out of the room he was telling a lady upfront I failed 3 out of 5 test, whatever that means.
Anyway I am curious what happens now. From everything I have read these guys never give the patients a fair review, especially since they are paid by workmens comp. I am also told that whatever this guy says workers comp will go with, even though he has never seen a xray, mri, emg report, they just say his 15 minutes with me trumps everything.
So I am guessing they are going to try to force me into some sort of settlement I am curious what to expect. Prior to my injury I made $54,000 the year prior. My first 3 months off work workers comp paid me the total maximum allowed with was like $860, since they 3 month 72% is up my 66% pay is $755 a week. I am curious what to expect, my dr's have already told me that I will never be able to go back to the job I was doing previous, though I am in school taking online classes now. Can they just stop paying me bc of what a dr that has seen me once says? what type of settlemet could i Possible expect?
Little on how my injury happend. I work for a furniture store, our furniture comes in standing upright on their side arms. I basically had a 450-500 pound sofa that is roughly 7 ft tall get blown over and hit me in my upper back knocked me over fell ontop of me and all the weight hit the upper back again as well as another part hit my lower mid back. Furniture falls here all the time, and I just happend to be walking by at the wrong time.
I am extremely worried now, I have a family, a 18 month old son I can hardly play with because my back is so messed up. I can hardly drive anymore. This dr today at the IME seriously was the rudest person ever. He contradicted everything I said as if he was attempting to get me to mess up so I was lying. I was told going in to be honest and dont exagerate my injuries and that is exactly what I did. He even went as after I told him I was about to have my associates degree he 6 times asked when I would have my bachelor, over and over again. then started asking me why I couldnt just go get a job in the IT Field now. just help, anyone with any idea of what might happen next, or long term what kind of settlement could I expect with the salary information and injuries I listed would really help me out probably help me stress a little less. thanks in advance!