Need Opinions or Advice Please!

[DarkAngel]

Hi, I had carpal tunnel and trigger finger release surgery in my right hand and as a result I developed R.S.D., Worker's comp. sent me for an I.M.E. and their doctor is saying it is recurrent carpal tunnel. My three doctors all say it is R.S.D. The IC denied treatment from my pain management doctor, who wanted to do a stellate ganglion nerve block, so I went through my private insurance to have the nerve block done and my W/C certified lawyer has filed a petition for review to add the R.S.D. to my claim.

The IC is sending me for a second I.M.E. in August with a different doctor. The IC has offered to settle my claim three times so far but they don’t want to accept the responsibility for the R.S.D. The last offer was to settle the lost wage part of my claim and then let the W/C judge decide whether the R.S.D. would be added to my claim. Has anyone ever heard of this method to settle a claim? Something about this just doesn’t feel right to me.

My lawyer gave me all the pros and cons of this settlement offer
but said the decision is completely up to me. The thing that bothers me the most is my R.S.D. is not under control yet and my pm doctor says that it could take a year or more to get things under control and he is not sure if I’ll be able to return to work. Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated. I’m in PA. Thanks!

[capricorn]

Hi dark angel........I am also from PA. So is Limbo and I'm sure he'll be here soon. JMO! I would not settle anything until you have answers to all medical concerns. I don't have RDS but several others here do. I think what your attorney is telling you is that the IC wants to settle but leave your medical open. Be very cautious. You could hurt yourself in the long run IF you truly have RSD and it's not picked up. I say this because my husband just settled with open medical for life. When he went before the Judge to sign everything she made it perfectly clear that the open medical would only cover his back. If something else down the road came from his back injury it would not be covered. Sorry I couldn't help more.


CAP

[Still in Limbo]

Welcome Dark Angel!! Cap, is right on the money with this one!! I would not settle either until all of my Medical Conditions were addressed and taken care of! In Pa, neither Party ever has to settle unless an agreement can be reached that both Parties can agree on. Don't let them push you around!! I have been fighting for three Years, it's tough but I'm not settling until I get what is mine, not one Penny more or one Dime less! Protect your Rights now because after you sign an agreement, you can't go back and change it later! Just my opinion, and I wish you the Very Best!!!

[DarkAngel]

Hi Capricorn and Still in Limbo! Thanks for the replies; I agree I’m not going to settle until all my medical concerns are addressed. The first two doctors that diagnosed me with R.S.D. were their W/C doctors, the first one who did the surgery and the other one was for a second opinion but they didn’t like their diagnoses and sent me for an I.M.E. who said it was recurrent carpal tunnel.

After my lawyer filed for the petition to review to add R.S.D. to my claim, they decided to send me for another I.M.E and the IC has been pushing for a settlement ever since. I’ve had a NCS/EMG, a MRI, I have been to see a vascular surgeon to check the circulation in my arm and a pain management doctor 4 months after I had the surgery because all the pain and swelling I was having. The nerve block I had did help with the pain and swelling and I’m having a second nerve block in 2 weeks.

I just don’t know how much more proof they need to accept that it’s R.S.D.! The money that they are trying to throw at me is not going to take away the pain that I have to live with 24/7. I’m more concerned about my quality of life than money. So I will continue to fight them every step of the way if I need to! Sorry for the venting but I feel better now!


Thanks DarkAngel

[Still in Limbo]

That's absolutely the right attitude Angel!! Hang in there and fight the fight, I feel confident you will come out on top!!! Best of Luck and please keep us informed!!!

[Spring]

Hi DarkAngel....I am sorry we have to meet in this kind of way...but you just did a very smart thing. You just joined the best online support grougs I know of. I am not to knowledgable of the wc system. But I want you to know... I know what you are going through. I also live with the aweful daily pain of RSD. The major flare up that come with RSD are enough to make you think you are loosing your mind...I want you to know that all the crazy the things that you are feeling are very real. DO NOT let anyone tell you differently.
I have RSD on my whole right side of my upper body the worse but also on my left side...neck and face. Caused from shoulder surgery. WC accepted the RSD and never denied anything for over a year...I have also seen several Dr's that all say RSD. Then all of a sudden WC sends me to an IME and they say I don't have RSD...and know WC is just causes my life to be a nightmare. Refusing treatments and some medications. And these are medications that they have paid for forever. Darkangel...I can't tell you what my medical costs have been for my RSD...so yes you do what ever it is to get WC to accept the RSD. As I'm sure you know there is no cure for it...it can spread through out your body. So I am sure that is why WC fights us so bad to not cover the RSD. I was happy to see atleast you have had the injections...and that your Dr is trying to get you some relief from the pain. Having a caring Dr means alot. Make sure that you are also getting a copy of all your medical records so you know that everything is being documented that needs to be. They (WC) I swear just try to cause us so much stress that we will take the settlement and go away....but as long as we all stick together and have each other to help through the tough times we can get through all this. So don't let them get you down. Please when the pain is to much and you need to talk. You will find a Off Topic Area. It is just below the Injuried Worker Forum please join us there. You will find alot of us there. You can vent there, laugh there. So please come on down.

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

DarkAngel, it is my best opinion I can give you. Is get yourself, with maybe your Attorney's help, to see a Doctor that Specializes in RSD as soon as possible, or even before, or directly a day after the IME visit. This then will make your case hold together well.

Now, RSD, might I ask what syptoms your having?

There is no cure for RSD, and you need to know this, even if your Doctor hasn't told you this. RSD is a Diease from an Injury, or surgery from an Injury. very seldom getting better, under some control is possible.

[DarkAngel]

Hi, Spring you’re right I’m glad that I posted on this forum! I've
lurked for a while reading and had decided that I liked what I had
read! The atmosphere here is so family like. I can tell that you all
really care about each other. RSD and WC are both nightmares!
I’m so sorry that you are also living with the awful pain of RSD too.
I wouldn’t wish this pain on my worse enemy.

I never even heard of RSD before I was diagnosed with it and
then to find out there is no cure really scared me. But I was
lucky that I found wonderful doctors to help with the treatments
and a WC lawyer that has helped me keep things on the
right track when dealing with WC.

Still in Limbo thanks for the encouragement to keep on fighting,
it gets real tough some times!

Bad Boy thanks for the reply. I’m very lucky, I have a
wonderful doctor that specialize in RSD and I seen him the
day before my first IME and I will see him again before the
second IME. It amazes me that there are so many people
with RSD and there are a lot of doctors that don’t know
anything about this disease, and it has been around since
the Civil War. The symptoms that I’m having are a burning,
throbbing pain that feels like it hurts clear down the bone,
my hand and wrist are swollen to the point it feels like it’s
going to split open. My hand is bright red in color but
sometimes it turns a reddish purple color. My hand also
sweats like crazy. I couldn’t sleep because of the pain but
I now take medication to help me sleep, it works most of
the time.

I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone on this forum.
Thanks for all the help and advice! Sorry this is so long.

[cfree1961]

Hi DarkAngel,
I'm new here also and very amazed how kind and helpfull everyone is all willing to help if they can,I hope you get your RSD to a tolerable point and make life a little easier. I'm dealing with WC right now with a torn rotator cuff so far they have been ok but as noted in my post I think I have started to see a darkside of them just starting to appear but all I want is to get it repaired and get back to as close to normal as possible,again I hope all get better for you as possible!

[chrischris]

Hi DarkAngel,

It sounds like you are on the right tract and doing everything you can for your case. Don't settle until you feel comfortable with that decision. How long have you been in the system?

I too developed RSD after Carpal Tunnel Surgery, but it wasn't until I had an Epidural Spinal Injection for my neck, that went haywire and lit up my arm, that I was sent to a Neurologist, who dx'd RSD. By then it had spread to both hands and arms, and in my cervical spine all across my upper back. I had a great Physcial Therapy team that knew about RSD and it helped a lot. I now continue the exercises at home. However, the RSD pain reminds you everyday that it is here to stay. It also reminds you that you are stil alive.

My IC hasn't disputed the RSD, but as a result of Injury and Work Situation I have recently filed a Psyche Claim for Depression. And, the IC is disputing that. That's pretty much protocal for psyche claims in California. So like you, I will be having a QME (IME) soon. All my symptoms will be taken into consideration to decide compensability, so we'll see how that goes. WC is sending me to IME 180 miles from home and as you know that is quite a ways to drive when your hands and arms hurt 24/7, and you can't take your meds while you are driving. Haven't figured out how to do that yet. Ugh!

Keep up your good attitude and stay positive. Try to get as much exercise as you can, so long as it doesn't cause you more pain.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!