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w/c injury may have been undiagnosed

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pikkie

Junior Member
What is the name of your state?Tn I had a work injury in 2002,was lifting something about 20 pounds when I turned I felt a sharp pain in the lower right back side of my neck.I call my boss and was told to go to the emergency room since the main office was closed at the time I was my injured.I went they gave me some pain killers and told me to speak with someone from the main office the next working day so I could see one of thier doctors.They sent me for exrays at one of the clinics and was told I had a cervical spinal strain.They had me use a neck brace and arm sling until I could see another doctor for evaluation.During this time I did work but was on limited duty/no lifting over 5 pounds/we have overhead work that they never restricted?After seeing thier doctor I was sent to PT and it worked but I noticed one of my hand was staying red and getting cold.So I showed it to my boss and she told me to call the main office because it could be something serious/so I did.They sent me back to this doctor and she said she did not know what else to do for me so suggested I see a orthopedic doctor/so I did.While I was seeing him he had EMG's done and MRI's,I started feeling a major problem with my skin to where I could not be touched so I called him and went to see him he said he did not know what was wrong so suggested a second opion.That all my test came back ok?I called the main office and told them that he saw me for a total of 5 minutes and gave me pain pills-I told them something is wrong!They got me a case manager-She sent me to a chiropractor that told her it looked like rsd/crps.He sent me to an orthopidic and he said the same thing so sent me for many more test and then to have another EMG done-the doctor that did the test was so mad because it showed my ratings all were under a 46 he said nothing under a 50 is good?So then I am sent to PT again and to a pain managment doctor.This whole time I have complained about my muscles being thight and sore and spots to where if you push on them it hurts bad,they started in my arm and are now in both arms and in my thighs and under one knee.I was diganosed with rsd/crps and a cervical spinal strain.After w/c case was settled I was looking through the doctors reports and found that the first doctor that I saw thought it was rsd and myofasical pain.But told me she did not know what was wrong?This was never relayed to the next doctor that had the first set of EMG's done and said were good.After my case manager in these reports is says that the chiropractor also suggested myofasical pain.Nothing was ever said to me about this at all-just rsd/crps.My case manager still calls me after closing my case over a year ago to talk and see how I am doing and such.I asked her why no one ever told me of this myofascail pain before and she said because it was easier to diganose rsd and that the treatment for them are the same basically.I went to apply for SS since my restrictions from my pain doctor are so extreme.The first thing he asked me had anyone ever said anything to me about myofasicl pain before I said no because this was before I got all my reports after my settlement.Is there anything that can be done for them not diagnosing this myofasical?Sorry this was so long but it is 3 years worth.Should my attorney have said something to me about it since he was getting all the reports?Or is it just my loss because I did not know to get these reports in from the start?Thanks for any information-again sorry so long
 
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panzertanker

Senior Member
The biggest problems I see are:

1. you have already settled, so you NEED an attorney

2. you said that a review of your records, after the fact, shows that the initial tx physician stated "the first doctor that I saw thought it was rsd and myofasical pain" These are what would be called differential diagnoses, or a "plan" for what your symptoms/presentation/injury COULD possibly be. S/he was correct in as you say telling you "But told me she did not know what was wrong?"

This is b/c she is not a pain management specialist, but rather a WC doc who is probably in family practice or internal medicine. RSD/CRPS and FM are usually my diagnoses of exclusion, meaning that I have definitively ruled out other causes first. FM RSD/CRPS are by no means easy to diagnose, nor can they be made by a WC doc upon first visit. She did the right thing, you went to a specialist and had an EMG and MRI performed.
You seem to have had good care, from what you post, so the major question is, did your settlement have a perpetution for further related medical problems? Or did you just get a one-time settlement, which means you have to deal with any further related medical expenses/problems?


Good luck
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
panzertanker said:
The biggest problems I see are:

1. you have already settled, so you NEED an attorney

2. you said that a review of your records, after the fact, shows that the initial tx physician stated "the first doctor that I saw thought it was rsd and myofasical pain" These are what would be called differential diagnoses, or a "plan" for what your symptoms/presentation/injury COULD possibly be. S/he was correct in as you say telling you "But told me she did not know what was wrong?"

This is b/c she is not a pain management specialist, but rather a WC doc who is probably in family practice or internal medicine. RSD/CRPS and FM are usually my diagnoses of exclusion, meaning that I have definitively ruled out other causes first. FM RSD/CRPS are by no means easy to diagnose, nor can they be made by a WC doc upon first visit. She did the right thing, you went to a specialist and had an EMG and MRI performed.
You seem to have had good care, from what you post, so the major question is, did your settlement have a perpetution for further related medical problems? Or did you just get a one-time settlement, which means you have to deal with any further related medical expenses/problems?


Good luck
Thanks panzertanker for answering this since it is right up your ally :)
I might add that if OP has applied for Social Security disability, what may seem like contradictions to a layperson but appropriately noted by clinicians as panzertanker pointed out, may be misinterpreted by the CLERK that reviews your social security disability application as malingering with a complaint as subjective as pain.

On the first go round, the CLERKS notes will rereviewd by a physician who may only look at their notes and not your medical record and deny your claim. So If you are applying for social security disability get assistance before submitting your application either from your attorney or independent living center. Most initial social security disability applications are denied.

If yours is denied, immediately request a copy of your file so you can look for irregularities in the administrative portion, if there are, then you may be able to resolve before going onto reconsideration which may take a year or more. Then if it is approved, most likely it will be audited delaying it more. Very important to get help with this, especially with this sort of claim.

Have you attempted any sort of rehabiliation program and do your doctors actually put into writing in your records that you are disabled and cannot work? They usually don't do this unless asked and those are the magic words they look for at Social security.
 

panzertanker

Senior Member
Rmet, thanks for the kind words.

OP, actually ask your doctor to write you a letter stating what your diagnoses are, what meds you take, and what/if any your expected time of disability is/will be. I write these letters daily and they may help, as in Georgia, an administrative law judge makes the decision about your disability claim, not a medical person. So if you have a letter, that should automatically have a copy placed in your chart as it pertains to your care, that states you have reached maximun rehab potential and you are still 100% disabled - that will go a long way to helping your case.

On the other hand, you should know that you need to completely exhaust all possibilities of increasing your work potential. This means, as Rmet said, PT, OT, Neurology (stating that you are NOT a surgical candidate) etc. This will make it less likely to have a claim denied, b/c you have already done all that would be required to show you are not a candidatefo rehabilitation.

Remember, I am using my knowledge of Georgia for your answers. Your state may have a different procedure, but it is in YOUR best interest to exhaust all possibilities anyway...
Good luck.
 
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pikkie

Junior Member
w/c and maybe undiagnosed

Thank you for your help,I will be getting the letter from my doctor and also my attorney has agreed to help with SS when I need him too.It has just went into the hearing phase so I guess now is a good time to give him a call and get those letters.Thank you so much.And yes I was very lucky to have gotten a case manager when I did and got the very best of help possible since then, for this condition.I may now be going into reconditioning with this last therapy. So SS maynot be needed for very long if I do get it,I can only hope work IS in my future. There is always HOPE (Thanks again:)
 
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