New job, do I still have coverage?

[Moose]

Hi all,

I live in Ohio and have a worker's comp claim from 2000 for carpal tunnel. I have atypical carpal tunnel in that it's caused by over use of my thumb instead of over use of the hand/fingers or strained wrist positioning. I never needed to take time off for the injury, never had to go on light duty, no settlement; I ony had medical reimbursement. My pain and symptoms are well managed by chiropractic and massotherapy, but if I don't get the treatments I have persistant pain in my wrist that eventually radiates up my arm to my neck and gives me headaches. Two other people at my work have had the carpal tunnel surgery and they are not any better off than they were before - in fact one of them is worse - so I do not want the surgery.

The employer I had in 2000 has been paying my medical bills since the claim was filed. I changed jobs in 2004 to a new employer with a similar position that continues to aggravate my carpal tunnel, and was told at that time that my medical bills would continue to be paid. I love my job and do not want to find a new position. Recently my doctor submitted a new C-9 and his office staff told me that my old employer is under no obligation to continue paying for my visits because I now have a new employer.

I'm being asked to submit to an IME (which is fine, they have asked me to do two others in the past and it hasn't been a problem with my claim) but now I'm worried that they have been paying my medical bills for years and should not have. I'm afraid that my old employer is not on the ball and doesn't realize that I no longer work there, and they will come back to me and ask me to repay my medical bills for the past 6 years.

So, my question - is my employer at the time of the injury obligated to pay for my medical bills even if I change jobs?

Thank you!

M.

[ace25]

Changing employers will generally have no effect on an existing claim. It should not interfere with your benefits.

[1171]

workers comp is not health insurance; it insures your employer, not you.
your former employer still has comp coverage for your injury; that does not change when you have other jobs.

[Moose]

Thanks for your information. Unfortunately, I have bad news.

I just had my IME and this doctor says I do not have carpal tunnel at all. I asked him about my pain, and he said "I don't know, it's probably from some kind of thumb joint inflammation, but it's not carpal tunnel." I asked him about the atypical diagnosis and he said "As far as I'm concerned this is not carpal tunnel, and that is what your claim is for. So that is what I'm putting in my report."

So I think they will deny my claim now and I'm pretty much screwed. I'm in pain right now because I haven't had treatments in over a month while dealing with the IME business. What are my options? I don't think I can file a new claim against my current employer since the injury went back to 2000, and I'm very hesitant for my current employer to even know about this claim for fear I'll get fired or moved to another position.

Do I need a laywer?

M.