I have my AME this week with...
 

Dr. Woods is considered by most as the number 1 or 2 best ortho surgeon in OC / Riverside area. However, he is also somewhat defense oriented. Having said that, on two cases I had, he was very applicant sided! I think the best ortho surgeon is Dr. Danzig, but he is very defense oriented in his reports. Anopther great surgeon is Dr. Carlos Prietto.

I can't write out all of my AME suggestions (as a friend for the millionth time) but I would suggest that you make sure ahead of time that your attorney gets ALL of your med reports in order and to him. (This should have already been done about a month ago.) You'd check this by going in and asking to see the meds report list prepared by the secretary. You'd match that to your own records or memory. You'd supplement what wasn't there.

Make sure you giave an accurate history to the AME's historian. If the person doesn't ask you an important question / fact, make sure to give it to the person anyways.

In CA you can't take a witness or a tape in with you, unless the doc allows it which is unusual and would be taken as weird / paranoid.

The AME is either deciding ALL issues, or on occasion just a limited issue. Thus, the AME has a LOT of power - more than the other docs, by your own agreement via your attorney. So you don't want to offend, alienate or otherwise prejudice this person or staff. Thus you'd be polite, listen carefully to questions, don't talk bad about other docs (you can state a disagreement with opinions without showing malice), wear comfortable, clean, "pull-up" type clothes. Don't wear a jewelry. Don't say you "can't" do something when it's actually PAINFUL to do it. But, if you cannot do something, like when I get that paralysis, then that it "can't." Use your pain scale of 1-10. Try not to cry - you don't want to be described as hysterical. Try not to refuse things - like some people would come in all wrapped up in gauze and refuse to take it off, or refuse to let someone touch them. That all ends up seeming like the person has a mental problem, rather than what we all have.

Make sure to get your report and read every word - if there is a fact wrong, tell your attorney. Ask your attorney to explain anything you don't understand and especially what it rates, what your restrictions are. Most AME reports can take 60 days to be typed up. Often one will see an AME twice - not every time is one made "Permanent and Stationary" (done with active treatment and improvement) the first time they are seen. Sometimes the AME wants more info. or more treatment.

Anyways, if you have questions, feel free to call me as a friend, I think you've got my number.

For everyone, ask your attorney to advise you on the AME issues / how to handle it / how it affects your case. Anything I say is just as a friend and is not legal advice.

Good luck!!!!

Tam, Thank you so much for all your information...

Then can I take medical records from home to him? In the letter that he sent it said to include "All" medical treatment to date. Would that include non industrial such as the RSD etc that have not been included in my claim?

Once again, Thank you for all the information...

Hugs :hug:
Dawn

YOu need to check with your attorney, BUT, my understanding is the AME medicals must be agreed upon months before hand by BOTH attorneys by letter, then, one side or the other makes up the copies according to the list and delivers the meds to the doctor and the patient CANNOT give the AME anything. (That is unless both sides had previously agreed patient needed to deliver something.) There can be no "unilateral" giving of info. - it must be by both sides.

So again, what you do is check what is on that meds list that both sides is agreeing upon or has agreed upon, make sure it's complete, and for ME, I like MY attorney to do the copying and delivering because the other side really doesn't care about being complete, especially if those reports are ALL in my favor. And of course you can bring it up to your attorney, "hey, you forgot this" and I'd ask that it be added by contacting the other side, letting them know in writing, and then having it delivered (via orvernight mail) to the doc.

Having said that, I don't want to step on any toes, as every attorney or area may have special rules, that's why I always say that this is my experience, now take it to your attorney and ask about it.

If you have a fax, you could ask that the meds list be faxed to you - right? Or you just have to go in and take a look. This is very proactive, but my attorney was thankful - fiance in fact made all of the meds list and packet of meds, so my attorney was VERY thankful not to do the work. The other side had only received about 1/2 of the meds, so they would have been incomplete. (I'm talking about court, but if there had been an AME, the result would've been the same.)

The rest of my experience is just basic common sense on not alienating the doctor. The doctor's attitude may seem cold or even rude - don't let that get to you, as the report could still come out quite on your side - these docs often times don't let their feelings be shown at all. Likewise, beware the smiling cheshire cat - the doc smiles as he asks you questions that are designed to destroy you. My opposing QME asked a lot about my kids - I realized his intent was not small talk, but he thought I was quitting work to take care of grandkids! (I don't have any.) Not that I would have lied, I wouldn't have - but that's why I say listen to the question carefully and answer only that question, it's so important to your situation that you end up with an accurate picture in the doc's mind.

Likewise, don't every lie - as an attorney, I can "fix" just about anything. Leave the strategy to the attorney, you just be honest. I can't tell you how many times someone would lie about something that really would not have mattered, but their lying did. That's why having an attorney, and telling the attorney everything that you have done and now do is so important, prior to all of these exams and deposition.

Again, call me if you need a friend.

Love to you!

Enough!
 

OK, guys, take it to the W/C forum or take it private.

i'm not trying to be rude here.

tam, i think it is wonderful that you are feeling well enough to actively participate on neurotalk again. you have been sorely missed! and your legal expertise in this area is amazingly helpful to so many here, what a godsend. you are very generous to share it.

i just have a thing about "bleeding between boards"... a personal gripe, if you will.

dawn, you know i love you to pieces and would do anything for you. but this type of exchange is best done either privately or on the legal forum, in my opinion. so you need to ask these questions directly of your own attorney - look to tam as a friend, and as back-up, yes...just not on here, OK? if you don't feel prepared for the court dates, then maybe get a continuance of some sort.

enough said. this is just my feeling on it, guys.

thanks for listening.

alison

Sorry to have ruffled feathers... I didn't mean to cause a problem only ask a question.. I saw no harm in my question.. I see others asking off the topic questions all the time I just wondered about the Doc and I am well prepared..
I'm off to bed now.. I have a raging headache!!!!!
Topic Closed.....

I wish I had found the forums at the beginning of my WC claims -
Tam mentions many things that could have helped make a better case for me - the organizing and copies of all documents & bills, I would have changed to a better atty & drs.
I was pretty much trusting that atty & docs knew what the heck they were doing and that it all would be handled with out too much input from me - NOT!!!

In my thoughts it it very much on topic for this forum.
But due to privacy or legal issues certain info is better sent via PM.

Hope your headache goes away soon Dawn

To Clarify
 

guys, all i was trying to say, is to my way of thinking anyhow, the reason we have a W/C forum in the first place is to discuss topics exactly like this one.

that's all i meant. not a complicated concept or trying to be difficult or anything.

because chronic pain makes all of our lives so messy, doesn't it, and we already have that to contend with - let's keep it simple here, was my point. it's a really good thing that neurotalk provides us with discreet, separate forums in which to discuss aspects in which each of us has been affected, i think, and at different points along the way in our respective journeys.

the other thing is, not all of us have W/C cases pending, or any litigation for that matter. so the point i was trying to make there was simply that i think it might be "cleaner" to try and keep the TOS forum for discussing things pertaining primarily to TOS, the W/C forum for things relating primarily to W/C, and for that matter, the RSD forum for things connected primarily to RSD.

of course you are going to get some cross-over, and i believe that people copy posts in more than one forum all the time, for that very reason.

i did not mean to imply that anything was inappropriate. it was a great thread, the board's been hot lately! and dawn is absolutely right, each one of us has been "guilty" of posting about off-topic stuff at one time or another, let's be honest. that keeps us on our toes, keeps us entertained, too, and keeps it real. but if you're going to start a thread specifcally about an issue, i guess my concern would be that you give some thought as to what the MOST appropriate forum to post it in might be (or if a PM or a phone call might not serve your needs better, or even make the friendly 'expert' you have your eye on most comfortable...)

don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, either, because everybody has so much to contribute and it's all about helping each other through the TOS MESS, in my view. part of recovery from...and coming out the other side of 'de monster.

neurotalk is awesome. i have to assume the format, though, is constructed the way it is for a reason. i was just trying to respect that.

no harm.:circlelove:

alison

Alison,

I respect your right to voice your opinion. But I don't agree.

TOS raises special issues with our doctors. We all know that. It also raises different and special issues in work comp processes - we all talk about how hard it is to get treatment, implants, etc. It would be near to impossible to divide the two for me.

I don't post on the work comp board because I don't want to be a reference point for the entire NEuroTalk forum. I don't want to argue process there. I don't want to research laws, etc.

And I always say, you have to talk to your own attorney, you have to figure out your own strategy. I am hoping JUST that I give food for thought, and it's impossible for me to post as a person with a past with my own experiences and leave anything even slightly "legal" out. I mean, this is about ME, when I post.

It's really hard to have TOS, and it's another layer of "stuff" to have us deal with Social Security docs, ins. docs, pain mgt. docs, and yes, w/c docs.

Just skip over me if I'm too verbose or not relevant to you, please. I never mean to be offensive to anyone.

We sort of got side-tracked, but the question was:

Does anyone know R. Woods in Tustin who will be Dawn's AME? Any experiences?

When I'm Wrong, I Say I'm Wrong!
 

i have apologized privately to dawn and to tam for butting in on their thread last night...

i don't know in the light of day what my problem was, really!

i forget to change the channel on the TV sometimes, too.

just sit there screaming obscenities at the set; picture it...not a pretty sight with programming being what it is today, especially (now i'm not talking about you girls' back-and-forth here in any way, shape or form, don't take offense:winky:).

i think i need a 12-step program of some sort for website addiction. i am powerless over the forum and my life has become unmanageable.

that's step one. huge, for me.

i guess this is the sort of behavior you can expect from me after a day at the beach with my grown daughter and my ex-husband.:eek::eek:

(actually it was sort of fun hanging out with the old fart. just wore me the F out!)

pardon ma francaise

A2

Oh Alison - just claim temporary insanity:cool:
Thank you for letting us know, a very kind and sweet thing to do.:)

Hey I've had the forum addiction thing too - just gotta turn it off sometimes and go outside.:grouphug:

No Problem...
 

Alison,
Were only human.. Well, sometimes I don't feel human..:eek: Anyways, were all entitled to our opinion and that is what makes us a "Great Board"... Boy, if I knew how to express mine better you all would be in for some interesting reading...:eek: :wink: :rolleyes: :D :mad:
I sent you a PM... Many Hugs..:hug:
Dawn

Dawn

First off I am checking in, Dawn how was your appt? Wasnt' it today? :hug: You deserve some :icecream:

Wow what happened while I stepped away from this thread. :eek:

Now A2 What have I told you about yelling at the TV? Behave ! :mf_argue: Now am I going to have to take you to "FAT" Forum Addicted Therapy :p . A2 I always apperciate your humor and your passion. But sometimes it can get in the way of what you are really trying to communicate. But we :heartthrob: all the same.

Tam, you are caring and give awesome legal advice, and just plain common sense advice. I so appreciate your approach to things. :hug:

Whether off topic or not, serious or humor the great thing about this board is that we can post, and vent and cry and argue and disagree and :hug: as long as at the end of each day we support and care for each other.

So I dont think there has to be an appropriate board for topics necessarily. The appropriateness comes from our common experience and our ability to share that and the bonds we have all formed. I think regardless of the topic any of us posted we would all be there to chime in and help each other. Right?


:grouphug:

and still there's one more view...
 

I know the initial question was about the Dr. himself; and Dawn's appt. is over and done with, but hopefully this thread will be useful to others in the future.

There is some information provided here, some very generous and friendly advice from Tam, (who has helped many here, myself included) that I feel I need to comment on.

From my own personal experience, I have taped all but one of my Q.M.E. visits, and the physician taped them as well. We both stated that we were recording them, the time they began and the time that they ended.

Tapes may or may not be admissible in court, but they can be used to report an act of fraud by the Q.M.E./A.M.E. physician if need be.

Also, I have taken a witness to every Q.M.E. and they were admitted in the room for the full visit, with that noted on the report as well as the tape.

None of the physicians I taped seemed to take it as something out of the ordinary; they were not the least bit ruffled by the request.

Every other piece of advice Tam gave is rock solid. Absolutely review your records with your attorney, and take in your personal records to fill in the gaps.

My 1st attorney didn't provide any information for the Q.M.E. Dr. on their side.He hadn't even seen my transcripts for the M.R.I. much less any of the records from my personal medical insurance who has done most of my treatment on a green lein. That includes a rib removal and scalenectomy.

I provided all of that for him, including pictures of my stellate ganglion block.And, I also mentioned on the tapes, that they did not have certain records, and if they would have helped in the diagnosis. I also mentioned the ones that I had provided for him.

So, yes, be prepared. It's a shame that these so called professionals get paid the big bucks just to write out a supposedly informed and professional report with out seeing much of anything that would give them enough information to make a truly informed diagnosis.

Glad it's over for you Dawn, hope things improve and you start feeling better! :hug:

Cala