[JayWhite1983]

Hey everybody.

Late February of this year I got injured at work. Suffered a head injury/concussion and whip lash. Went to the ER, and was sent home the same day and released back to work the following day, by an idiot dr. in my opinion.

I suffered severe vertigo for weeks. It was as if I was heavily drunk 24/7. I now have tinnitus, and still vertigo at different times with different time lengths. The whiplash wasn't really severe though.

During my healing time, I was diagnosed Bipolar late March due to severe depression. It wasn't till then that I could get a doctors note stating that I am unable to work.

What I'm wondering is, can my BP diagnosis be affiliated with my workman's comp claim since it was induced slightly after my head injury? I haven't fought for workman's comp cash benefits because I don't think it is, plus two doctors released me back to work; e.i. the one at the ER, and the one I seen the following week. I told him I couldn't work. Yet he told me to sort paper clips and basically refused to give me a note to have medical leave due to my vertigo. I also worked in the construction field. My job wasn't a desk job.

Due to my BP illness, I couldn't contact my work for almost two months to let them know what was going on with me. Now they're trying to screw me over, saying that most of my injury didn't happen, and are working with workman's comp so that I will have to pay all my medical bills that are and were related to my injury. I.E. cat scans, x-rays, mri's, and doctor visits.

They have also said that I quit working for them the first week I was injured, I have it writing from them. How if I'm injured on the job, can they say that I quit because I didn't contact them every single day? Do I really have to? I was suffering from bad vertigo and severe depression.

Not only that, can I get cash benefits through workman's comp, but can I also see a physiologist under their insurance since my injury turned into mental illness? I'm in UT if it helps.

Thanks everybody for your knowledge. This stuff has been bugging me for a while.

[Jomar]

Generally if you have a work injury and the drs don't write you off of work, or place restrictions on your work duties, with a note to employer, you do need to either report to work or arrange for personal time off from the employer.

For me, even with a dr note for time off due to my injury- I still had to "check in" with supervisor once a week.
Which I thought was kind silly to just call in and say "Hi I'm still off work.."

It sounds like you have kind of a complicated scenario- I suggest talking with/interviewing some wc attys to see what they say.

And also reading on your state website - under employment division is where you should find the work comp section.

[lefthanded]

I agree that your case seems complex enough that an attorney is a good idea.