What can I do?

[burton0788babe]

I am still having a lot of pain in my elbow.My neck and shoulder also hurt but they are getting better. I slipped and fell on water that someone had spilled, but didn't clean up. I actually fell twice, because after the cook helped me up, I fell again. Unbelievable! My Dr. thinks I have a pinched nerve. I do a lot of physical work at my job. I work in the cafeteria doing a lot of repetitive lifting, pushing loading etc. Anyway, my Dr. took me off work for about 2 weeks and now he wants me to work half days for a while an work up to six hour days. My problem at work is two of the five supervisors I work under. Everyday I work they harass me about something or other.Very minor things that everybody in my dept. do. Like, we can punch out 7 minutes before we are scheduled to leave and we have 7 minutes after the hour that we can punch in. Well, today this one supervisor came up to me after I had punched out at 2 minuter till the hour. She gave me a terrible time about it. When we were standing there 3 other people had punched out at 5 minutes till and nothing was said. I was flabbergasted. Any way things like this happen to me every day since I have been injured at work. It't like they are MAD at me for getting hurt at work and are trying everything they can to make my workday miserable. They follow me around and are constantly trying to catch the smallest thing wrong. I feel like they are trying to make me quit my job. I am so stressed out and my arm hurts. I have even had Shingles on my face one time because of the stress. I have also experienced Trigeminal Neuralgia (a very painful facial disease). I don't know what to do, but go over their heads and talk to someone in Human Resources. I don't think I would be going thru this if I had gotten hurt somewhere else than at work. If I quit my job, can I file for unemployment successfully?

[burton0788babe]

I forgot to ask, if I quit or am fired from my job, what happens to my work. comp. will I still be able to ga to Dr. and get my meds. and sttuff like that or are they done with me if I no longer work there.
Also, will I be able to have my restrictions if I get another job?

[tweety00]

Make sure you tell the doctor about how the treatment has been ....... any retrcitions ? Yes that is what the employer is trying ... lawyers always say stay at job even if getting wrote up ... and ask for any copies .
you need to keep copies of any restrictions also

In iowa you have to be fired before getting unemployment
reember w/c is the employers insurance not yours ..

[lfoster21]

Hell, I am so sorry that you are going through all of this. I am sure you will find many people here, who can give you info. from their own experiences. I can tell you that if you are fired, I know in VA W/C will have to continue everything. Let us know where you are from, as well as cheking on th link at the top of this page, re. you specific state laws. I believe in VA, if you quit, they can say that you are not doing what the i/c says you are suppose to be doing. However, there is lilkly a clause that would cover if the employer is making it impossible for you to work. I am sure someone else will know this answer better than I do.

The one thing I can say is that you are right, when you said it was as if they want you to quit. They can't fire you, but they can make it miserable for you in hopes that you will quit. Unfortunately, mny co's. resent employees for making them pay...(even though it was their fault.) I highly suggest you get a lawyer, if you don't have one already. Most states have a max. % that they can charge you and you don't pay until you settle your case.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[sparkey]

Your right about people how they treat you after you go for a claim within the co. If people do not physically see blood comming from your body or a cast on a certain body part, your considered just trying to screw the wc system. I got the same treatment at my job when put on light duty. I hurt my arm/hand ( dominant) and had a brace on it and people were saying " Why can't she draw blood?". Now think about it, would you want someone trying to draw your blood using a brace? Nevermind not being able to hold a needle, open a sterile alcohol pack and put on a pair of gloves.

I was thrown out of work by my pm doctor after 2 months of light duty. I got so bad i ended up with frozen shoulder from protecting my hand with so much pain. I suffered working, but kept hearing from my co-workers, " why are you here in pain?" It is awful that the system makes us go back to work while injured and trying to heal just for the sake of not having to pay you being out. It only makes your injuries worse.

When i did go back to work after being off 7 months, they put me in another building doing something completely out of my career for light duty 4 hours a day. Made me drive a 1/2 hour more each day also with one hand. Luckily i got a job offer at my husbands work within my restrictions. I gave my notice and left.

Not everyone is as lucky as me to have that happen, but if i were you, i would try to find another type of work within the restrictions of your doctor and leave that place of employment. It will NEVER be the same now that you have made a claim. Most people who file a wc claim with their co. either quit or get fired. If you do not want to go to voc. rehab, then i would start looking or thinking of a career change or a new company to work for. Sounds to me like they are very strict anyways with their timing of punching in and out. That in itself causes stress. I remember them days. Now with this new job i can come and go whenever i please and i love it. I wish you luck in your healing and decision. Take care of YOU. Happy New Year.

[Lilly]

Hi Burton,
You know what? I wouldn't give those a-holes the satisfaction of quitting! That means they have won their quest!! Keep your nose to the grindstone if you are able...and give them absolutely NO REASON to fire you, or to write you up, and see where this tactic takes you. After one is hurt at work....the true personality of your superior's ethics shows it's ugly face! I too was bullied once by a jerk superior and got a horrible case of the shingles! Not fun at all....and I feel for you. But being stubborn as i am, I refused to let him drive me out of that place....it was a good move on my part....as he left (was fired) years before me!
Stay within your injury restrictions and if asked to do something outside of them....politely remind your superiors you are under the doctor's care.
Good luck to you, please let us know what happens, and welcome to the forum! Lilly

[katicabogar]

Burton,
Went through with samething and worse, with my employer, but didn't quit, that's what they are waiting for. Supervisors get trained how to harass/push out problem employees and you are one of them now.

Talk to your doctor and request light duty. Also look for a new job, it is time for you to try something new.
Good luck.

[burton0788babe]

Thank all of you so much for replying to me. I don't feel so all alonne. I live in South Dakota. My primary care physician put me on Wellbutrin for depression. I hope it works. I am going to stick it out and see what happens. I wonder if you get shingles, depression, etc. can you list that as W/c injuries? I know stress caused my shingles, I got it on one side of my face, they call that occular involvement and you can go blind. I was scared. I also know my Trigeminal Neuralgia was also caused my stress w/ wc. I wondered if anyone has tried to sue for that?
I am going to go to my Director w/ a list of all the things that people are doing and then I will go to Human Res. if that doesn't work. I am sure they are going to hate me more if I do this, but I don't care.I work in a hospital and I can't believe how they treat their employees. Thank you guys again for all the support. It made me cry "happy" tears.