Hello everyone!I am almost to the point of giving up with worker's comp.It's been over 2yrs.and I am finding it's a vicious cycle.I have gone through work hardening twice,physical therapy,occupational therapy.

I've been doing this wonderful W/C thing now for 3 years...it will be 4 in Feb.
This is what they want you to do..give up!!!! I've been in and out of work, acroos the state for tests and exams and have been threatened 20 times to have my benefits suspended. But I finally realized about a year ago that they want me to give up; cry every time I get a letter. And I realized that I am strong enough to fight them...I didn't ask to be hurt and I need to fight for myself !!! I just turned 30 and have a husband, two kids, a mortgage and a car payment....and I have to fight hard to make sure I keep it all. It gets tough...and just when you tink you can't take it anymore, just remember what you have and how much you'll fight for it all!!!!!!! Someday it will be over and we'll all be able to sit back and think about all we've gone through and that this is just one of lifes many journeys that we survived!!!!!

If you are hurting constantly and needing meds daily please don't give up.

I have borderline conditions/injuries but require no meds.
{mild now -but were pretty bad for 2+ yrs}

I haven't returned to any full time work, just for the simple reason that I would most likely add to my pain and end up escalating my symptoms, ie: the future.

I wasn't hurt enough to receive benefits or at least not at a clear provable level. {drs couldn't or wouldn't be clear and firm about my RSI injury becoming permanent /chronic and my W/C atty didn't "believe" in TOS}.
So due to lack of drs / atty knowledge on chronic soft tissue/TOS type of injuries I did bail out.
But I did at least get a disputed claim settlement amount to close the claim.

HD, I can relate to what your going through all to well.
I was a waitress and fell at work over 7yrs ago and am now permenantly disabled and fighting for my SSD.
I fought WC for 4yrs and I won't even begin to go in to all the hell I went through being called a liar, a fake and a drug addict and the list goes on.
I swore I would not give up fighting because I knew I wasn't faking and that my injuries were from the fall I took.
I continued to work for 4 yrs after the injury and cutting back on days and hrs til I was down to one day a week and I would have to leave early that day,after WC got me down to where we were completly broke and in bankrupcy they took away the only thing they were doing for me my meds.
I couldn't take it anymore it was either lose my mind and everything my DH and I had spent our lifetime bulding togather or settle and let them win, that is what I did and when I did I made up my mind to let it go accept it for what it was and live my life the best as I could.
Since WC would not upgrade my claim to the severity of what my injuries are my private ins. picked up my care.
It really bites and I wish it would have been different and wasit fair NO, but at least I have what is left of my sanity and am moving on now.
By no means am I saying to do what I did I'm just saying I understand and I did what was right for me that doesn't mean it is for you.
I wish you the best of luck and if you ever need to talk I'm here, PM me.
LindaM(suede)

Hi,
Please don't give up. That is what they want you to do.

I've been hanging on with no benefits for my care or disability payments each month. I get nothing and have hundreds of thousands of $$ in green liens (unpaid bills) They never pay for my meds. One pharmacy dropped me when my bill got to $100,000.

Do you have a lawyer? Mine hasn't done anything for me yet, but hopefully one day he will.
He is sure we will win. I don't know why he waits unless it is for a different govenor to come back to this state and undo the damage Schwartzenegger has done.

Do what you have to do to survive, but as for me, I'll pray they don't win over you.

Hope

Hello everyone!Thanks,I have a doctor's appt.tomorrow. rehab meeting is next week,really they are just trying to push me out the door now.I went back to the clinic last week,the doctor realizes I am having a bad flare-up he increased my meds,I am suppose to relax and take it easy.Pretty hard to relax when your in all this worry about your pain and wondering what will ever become of me?Thanks everyone for your support I really needed it.I will see what happens,hopefully I will here something from him soon(good or bad).
Thanks,Hairdresser

The system allows the opposition to delay and deny. If you can't work, how can you give up? You need a lawyer, sorry. The main objective IS to have you give up, it saves them so much money! What you need from your doctor is MMI (percentage of ability Maximum Medical Improvement.) After 6 months ? of this, you are entitled to permanent disability (I assume you are still temporary.) Their bottom line is money. That's it. They cannot consider what you need, or they will lose their job. The only thing that scares the opposition is the ruling of a Judge against them. It's a long haul. It's a bad system. TC. JD

Hey everyone I'm still hangin in there.I still haven't gotten a reply to my letter yet.No lawyer, must go through appeals first.I need a decision in order to appeal.rehab meeting next week to see if there is a job I can do safely.I am not going alone,I will have a witness with me.It will be interesting to here of these jobs I could do with all my restrictions.Really who wants to hire someone thats under the influence of pain killers,wearing a tens machine,totting an ice pak instead of a purse.LOL.

Please don't try just any job under those conditions. Remember, at least in the USA, the job is supposed to be comparable to what you used to do. I'm worried that, in your desire to get over this, you will give in to the system's fantasy that you are fine and can work. If you really can't, don't do it.

JDPHD
I keep thinking maybe it is possible,work or school.Reality hits,driving my car causes pain level to increase.So acceptance is hard.How could I work?How would I even get there?How long would I last?How much pain is enough before a fair decision is made?What other hoops are there to jump through?I am really bummed out tonight,I live outside of the city and I drove for half an hour to visit my mom and dad today and half hour back and tonight I am in alot of pain.I can't stay home all the time,it's not good mentally,but driving hurts.
take care hairdresser