frustrated and clueless

[seaturtle71]

Frustrated and clueless in Alabama

I have never had an on the job injury,so this is a new ball game for me.
I hurt my back/ hip at work 4 weeks ago, nobody still has any clue whats wrong the only things that has been done in the way of treatment, is drugs, drugs, and more drugs, and 1 set of xrays.
The underwriters for the insurance( work comp) has me going to one of those urgent care clinics/walk in clinics, that always have no appointments open, and u walk in and sit/ wait for 6 to 8 hours,maybe for 1- 2 days just to get in to see a doctor.
once i get in they give me drugs and 2-3 days off, then send me back to work. to walk / stand or sit hurts, and the drugs make me loopy ( not much help for the pain) and to work and not be loopy I cant take meds. then i end up w/ a migraine that i can take anything otc for cuz of the meds. and any time i try to ask for time off, i get a guilt trip, and/or comments that lead me to believe that if i take the time off i could possible loose my job, so i work, then i hurt worse. And i really feel like the doctors are not taking my injury seriously.
so far the only thing i have been provided is access to the clinic. nothing beyond that has been talked about.

so do i take the meds and not work , risk loose job, along with income ( no sick/vacation time avail) or do i not take meds, work and stay miserable?????

[red1030]

frustrated and clueless...have you read your sites information about workmans' compensation? go to the top menu on this forum and find "go to state" Find your state and hit Alabama and it will give you some valuable information. Find out if you can visit your own doctor with workman's comp. You can in some states. All states are different. After you find that out, if you can see your own doctor, go see them and tell them what is happening.

My best opionion is that you should have a MRI at least to find out what is happening. I am not the injuried worked, but my husband is. Workers Compenation insurance company did the same type of thing to him. Never gave him any treatment, not even drugs. If you can't see your own doctor then go to the clinic where they send you again...and tell them that you want an MRI because you are concerned with what is going on in your back. Also tell them that the pain medication is making you loopy and that you feel that is dangerous when you are working and taking the drugs that they are giving you. Also explain to them again that the work is making it worst. If that doesn't get you any where find an attorney right away. To find an attorney search the web for your area for a workercompensation certified attorney.

Do not quite you job. See an attorney first. He can get the ball rolling for more medical care.

Good luck and welcome to the forum. This is a great forum with a lot of very knowledage people. Someone else will come a long with a lot of good information for you.. Red

[Still in Limbo]

Welcome to the Boards seaturtle! Red is right on the money with the advice She is giving you, as She always is. Please let us know what you find out, I also feel you should have more Care than just an Urgent Care Clinic. Have you of they filed a w/c claim, and if not why? One should have been filed within a reasonable time after your incident, and your State's Website should give you the info. you need. Best of Luck!!

[1171]

"The employer will select the treating physician at the time of the accident. If the employee is dissatisfied with the initial treating physician selected by the employer, and if further treatment is required, the employee may so advise the employer, and be entitled to select a second physician from a panel or list of four physicians selected by the employer."

contact Alabama ombudsman for more detail information and help
http://dir.alabama.gov/wc/ombudsman.aspx

call 1-800-528-5166, and ask to speak with an Ombudsman. In the Montgomery area call 242-2868.