They said Send a demand?

[borninabarn]

Well my hearing is coming up soon and my Attorney is working on a settlement package.Had my 2nd IME and my attorney mailed out a letter to my treating doctor(thier wc doctor)and he signed on everything agreeing with the 2nd IME that was all in favor of me with the percent rating to the whole body and all other questions.My Attorney called thier attorney and ask if they were interested in resolving my claim they said to send a demand.Is this all normal?good news?Just wondering Friends.Born

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Yeah, they always want your Attorney to make the first demand. I myself would rather they make the first demand and work from there.

[borninabarn]

I suppose this will go back and forth between them for awhile and then if nothing is agreed on we will just go to the hearing and let the judge rule?Is this how it goes?Only a month till the hearing.Born

[Sithie]

Hugs to you born, long time no see, am glad to hear from you.

Sithie

[1171]

yup that's how it goes.
it's good that you have a court date already -- it's gives the attys a "drop dead date" to their negotiations so they don't dangle you forever.
they can still "fudge" with postponements but it's riskier messin' with the judges calendar.

[Pooh]

Born

they denied your claim didn't they? If so then they can't post pone the court hearing in Iowa. All you can do is drop the suit and refile I do believe. At least that is what my attorney told me.

Remember you lost income from the time they didn't pay you. Your medical that you had to pay out of pocket, mileage, industrial disability - not the impairment rating but the industrial disability that is the job market that you no longer have access to because of your restrictions, age, education.

[borninabarn]

Hi Sithe,Pooh,Bad boy,1171,Long time,
Yes they did deny the claim paid a little in the beginning after their Quack Dr.p they sent me to said I was MMI .This is a contested case.I wish I could get some #s on the industrial disability I am only 9%whole body?Do any of you know what the max amounts are here?Should be 2 different amounts.Born

[Pooh]

Born

It's all different

I was 2% as body as a whole by their doctors - which even the commissioner found under rated by the ama 5th edition - without surgery should have been 5% automatically. I then ended up with a total of 20% industrial rating - remember this includes your impairment rating.

One way you may find out a general Idea about an industrial disability is to go to the UE office and talk with a specialist there and see how many jobs or what % of jobs you would be cut out of because of your injury. Maybe they can give you an idea and then that would be added to the 9%. That would give you just a rough estimate though - not an exact figure - and remember if you settle this will also close out medical in Iowa as that is how they wish to do it instead of keeping it open - where as going to court it would keep it open - so if you want to keep medical open - make sure that is in the contract as well.

[borninabarn]

How much does a back surgery cost these days? Just for #s sake for the settlement???Born

[jayne]

depends on where when and how many discs involved.most ICs also get a discount and then depends on how fast you heal and then if you heal