[Army Vet]

For the first time in my life I'm scared of something bad happening to me. I'm nearly 50 years old and a veteran of Desert Storm so I've seen things that most people haven't and I've always been strong.

Now to my issues. About 10 months ago I fell of the roof of my one story ranch home. In landed on a concrete patio with all the force on my back and my head snapping back with great force. My wife rushed me to the nearest hospital and then I was sent by ambulance to a hospital with a trauma center. I cracked the back of my skull from basically ear to ear and had bleeding on the brain. Thankfully the bleeding subsided and they didn't have to open me up. I spent numerous days in the hospital and was out of work for a month with severe headaches and uncontrollable dizziness. I went through therapy for my dizziness and after awhile things got better. Can't recall the therapy but it had something to do with loose crystals or what I like to say my rocks in my head were knocked loose. Through it all during the past 10 months I've experienced headaches and some dizziness but I've dealt with it.

Now let's fast forward to last week at work. Something was left on the floor that shouldn't have been there and it was confirmed as a safety hazard after I tripped on it. That's right, I tripped on it and went head first into a wall. The force was hard enough to crack the wall. I was taken to the emergency room and given all tests that were required for head, neck and back injuries. It came back that I had aneck and back sprain and fortunatly no cracked skull or bleeding on the brain. I have a pretty good bump on the side of my head and the doctor said I suffered a concussion.

That sounds like good news but since then I've had severe headaches and dizziness which the doctor said would probably happen. What has me worried now is memory loss, slurred speech and stuttering. My wife wife says I ask her the same things 10 minutes after I asked the initial question. On the phone she and my friends said they have noticed stuttering and slurred speach. I can deal with some physical pain but this mental aspect has me scared beyond belief.

I'm in a job that I feel at some point I'm going to be pressured into returning and to perform at my same previous level. My job requires lots of correspondence through letters and emails and in just the past few days some of my emails have been somewhat incoherent. I'm not back at work but these emails have been through friends. I'm also required to use a computer most of the day and at night I receive phone calls on it job that require split second decisions to be made. My job is important to me and I love it.

I go to my family doctor tomorrow and I know he's going to tell me to stay away from work for a period of time. This may sound crazy but I'm thinking of telling him I'm better. I was wondering if I could just ride this out and hope to get better on my own.

My wife is a nurse and she has told me the seriousness of two brain injuries so close together in time some I'm no fool about this but I'm also bull-headed and I've always drove myself to get better.

Lately I've gone on line and from what I've read I know how serious this is. Again getting back to work and showing my employer I'm not trying to take advantage of them has me on the edge. There were numerous witnesses to the accident and all agree that the company was negligent by creating a fall hazard. Do you think I could have long term problems with this? The first accident from the roof was very serious. In factthe doctors told me I was lucky I didn't die. When I do go back to work and if I have mental lapses I'm worried the company will take action against me. I hope someone can help me sort this all out.

I hope this is coherent enough. I've proofread and had my daughter look at it so please excuse any mistakes.

Thanks for your time.

[Tengboche]

Wow, so sorry to hear that you have had 2 very traumatizing accidents.

I am not an expert on this, and I have certainly struggled with learning my lessons but the one thing that I know is that pushing through these symptoms will not make things better.

My employer wouldn't let me back to work for fear of me getting worse, and I am now greatful for this.

Please be gentle with yourself, know that these have been serious. Hopefully there is workers compensation or disability available for you to have while you take the time necessary to heal.

Best of luck

[Mark in Idaho]

Army Vet,

First, thank you for your service. My daughter was in Kirkuk for most of a year and I understand what you went through.

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sorry for the reason you are here.

Your wife is right. Two concussion of the severity you suffered is a serious issue. I am guessing by your comments that this is being treated as a Workers Comp case. Before going any further, I recommend you find a Workers Comp attorney who specializes in brain injuries. Your prior injury does not weaken you case for Workers Comp benefits.

Check out or better yet, have your wife check out www.tbilaw.com. Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries are very difficult to represent unless the attorney knows the ropes. A good attorney can help determine if the fall hazard was a great enough negligent risk to create a case beyond Workers Comp. Work Comp can be limiting.

You are very early in your recovery. Stay away from work until you have been released by both a specialist in mTBI and your attorney. At your age, recovery is much more problematic. The brain does not have the recovery ability for us older guys that it has for the younger ones. Your slurred speech is a serious concern.

Have you had a CT Scan done? It can rule out serious issues that could be life threatening. If you family doctor does not suggest it, ask about it.

You are playing with the rest of your life and the needs of your family when you ignore any symptoms. If you think you are bull headed, I have you beat because I know the long term problems from an mTBI at this age. I live with them daily.

There is no kind of personal drive than can overcome a brain injury. Your bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles can heal strong from pushing the recovery. Your brain is just the opposite.

If your family doctor is not connected to the VA, you should consider getting checked out at the VA. There will be much more understanding of your brain at the VA. As a combat vet, I know you have VA benefits.

Try to stay away from doctors who do not understand concussions and mTBI. They can put things in your medical record that can haunt you.

For the time being, lay low, rest, get good nutrition that is without caffeine and alcohol ( one normal serving per day of each is the maximum) and download the TBI Survival Guide at www.tbiguide.com

Do not play macho man. It is too great of a risk. Work Comp protects your job so getting back to work is the last of your worries.

Let us know how you are doing.

And, have your wife read this post. She needs to be fully in the loop.

My best to you.

[Army Vet]

Thanks for the quick and great responses. Yes I'm currently on workers comp. I didn't know or still don't know if I need to talk to a attorny. I'm not looking to cash in on this at all that bit I want is for them to treat me fairly and be patient with me when I return to work. Again, they were clearly negligent here, we are in the middle of moving offices around and things were left strewn on the floor over a number of days, but my intent is just get back to work. Many of my co workers say to pursue this route but that's not me. Personally, I actually feel embarrassed about falling and having to face my co workers again.

I also may have jumped the gun in stating they may pressure me back to work. Most of the senior leaders but I do have a few jerks right above me.l

[Jomar]

I've been through the work comp system for repetitive motion injuries that eventually became chronic.
I've learned a few things from my own experience as well as reading on our wc forum...

1- your first injury was private and not comp related. It sounds like you still had some residual symptoms from that at the time of the second fall at work. "during the past 10 months I've experienced headaches and some dizziness"

2 - wc may likely try to put some of the blame, and a % the recent injuries as related to your first fall. Nothing personal , but it's how big companies & their lawyers do things.

what they will do is look back at your health history and see the other incident, what the symptoms were, and the amount of time you missed back then.

If it gets to a wc hearing, or claim is disputed, they will be playing to win.

I could be totally wrong, but don't assume anything, and don't neglect your health to prove a point that doesn't need to be proved.

Your health is the most important thing of all, so be honest with your dr and don't deny or minimize any symptoms that need to documented..

It might be good to talk with "interview" some good wc attys , just in case you end up needing one.
With the complications of the 1st fall it will be more difficult to prove all new injuries are really new, unless your dr has been taking wonderful notes all this time.

[Mark in Idaho]

Army Vet,

Work Comp never ends in a windfall. It is the poorest paying system which is why you need to seek good advice from a WC attorney who understands mTBI. Do not think you are after the money because even in the best cases, you end up with a measly sum for your injuries. You don't say what state you are in. Some states have strong WC regulations that prevent prior medical history from reducing your benefits.

California looks at it as simply an injury that caused problems. If you had not suffered the workplace injury, you would not be facing the injury and job losses.

Consider WC as a safety net that pays very little but can help you if your injury causes lasting symptoms that prevent work. As my signature says, I am on full time, permanent disability for my injury that happened on the job. The Work Comp people were very good at denying me benefits. I qualified for Social Security Disability Income even though it has a much higher disability standard than Work Comp.

Work Comp claims are a tough fight when the injury is mTBI. Get an attorney's advice. Your Multiple Impact Syndrome may very likely leave you with long term or even permanent disabilities.

Were you exposed to explosions or other loud and shocking noises during Desert Storm? They can injure your brain even when you don't notice any immediate symptoms. The accumulation of impacts can be rough on the older brain. Your recent impacts might have pushed your brain past the recovery point.

Check out http://www.subtlebraininjury.com/ so you understand the WC process for mTBI.

My best to you.

[Army Vet]

Just got back from family doc. Daughter took me and told him everything from headaches, stuttering, slurred speech and dizziness. Doctor also said he recgonized the speech issues. He has set me up with a neurophsycologist and that has me wondering why. Does he think I'm crazy? What can he do for me or to help me.

Someone asked earlier where I'm from and it's Virginia.

[roadrunner63]

Originally Posted by Army Vet

He has set me up with a neurophsycologist and that has me wondering why. Does he think I'm crazy? What can he do for me or to help me.

I saw a neuropsych for a neuropsych test. It helps pinpoint deficiencies like memory, verbal and auditory processing, etc and then give resources to try to improve. It's not a crazy thing!

[Jomar]

It probably is just for an evaluation. You could call the drs office and ask, it might be good to know due to the comp claim involved.

I don't know how Virginia comp is, but Oregon wc - when I was in it anyway , generally we could choose a dr of our choice or make a change a few times - but had to be approved by wc.

Does your family dr know of the wc claim and is billing under it or your private medical?
It can get confusing with the previous personal injury follow ups as well as the new work injury.

I do suggest searching out some of the better work comp attys, and some are better than others, check out the offices/staff - do they look/act professional or not organized...? big flag right there.

I learned that after the fact.
Generally same with PT, and other treatment providers, if they seem disorganized/not professional - look elsewhere.

[Mark in Idaho]

Army Vet,

As others have said, a NeuroPsych is to quantify your level of symptoms. It is VERY important that any NeuroPsych who sees you be knowlwdgeable in mTBI. Many are biased against organic causation and will diagnose psychological or psychiatric causation. This can be the kiss of death to a Workers comp claim and then follow you for years. As Jo*Mar said, she learned After the Fact about NeuroPsychologists.

Go to the links I recommended earlier. www.tbilaw.com
and www.subtlebraininjury.com

You need a competent mTBI Work Comp attorney BEFORE your are seen by a NeuroPsych for an assessment.

Here is a link to a Virginia attorney who may be helpful. His web site shows that he understands mTBI and Work Comp. http://www.brain-injury-law-center.com/contact-us.html
This statement from his web site tells the truth <Because insurance companies must be suspect of every WC claim, you may find it difficult to secure compensation for your injuries, despite having a valid claim. Even if your physician documents your disability, the IME doctor may offer a differing opinion. If you are denied treatment or disability payments from your WC insurer, you should talk to an experienced attorney that knows both the complexity of TBI and the WC system.>

I want to scare some attention into you. A biased NeuroPsych killed my chances at a Work Comp settlement. That bias likely cost me $10,000 to $15,000 a year for the next 20 years and the past 10 years. Now, I have to survive on $1284 per month rather than almost $3000 per month.

Please, find a good WC attorney.
And, bring your wife and daughter into this information loop. You need their assistance.

My best to you.