Workers Comp Insurance

My son was injured on construction job in KS in Oct 00 resulting in long thoracic nerve damage & scapula winging. Have seen 2 doctors who have differing opinions. Worker comp insurance wants him to see a third doctor for a third opinion. Sent to 1st doc by local orthopedic surgeon, sent to 2nd doctor by Company Insurance rep. Insurance rep says they need another opinion-their choice again. Still cannot work, still unresolved if surgery will be needed/done. 1st doctor says permament disability, 2nd doctor says it's just weakness, even though there's zero activity on both EMG tests. Does he have to go to insurance reps choice of 3rd doctor or can he find his own? Do you recommend he hires an attorney to assist me with this? Never needed a lawyer before, this is foreign territory for him, don't really know where to turn.

Scapula

Jill,

I had the same type of injury about 10 years ago, I am now 32...I to had to go see, many different doctors, it took about 3.5 years for the comp boards doctor to finally agree with what my doctor (whom is a doctor for our local major sports team) he said permanet partial disability, and of course during the whole thing I was getting like $32.00 a week, and not "legally" biegn able to go back to work..which I had to. I also retained an attorney, but with most comp cases the hearings are not much talking ussually the insurance company..not wanting to pay. So after all that I recievced $17,000 minus all the weeks at $32.00 and ended up with $6,000, even after surgery and scars to my shoulder. So for 7 years the problem never went away, so dont I fall on ice at my present job, and now the arm is worse...so back for more MRI's and EMG's, X-rays and so on good luck!!!

Joe

Talk to the carrier about going to an Agree Medical Examiner, otherwise known as AME. This is a doctor that both parties agree on, to evaluate the claimant. The carrier no longer has medical control. If your son does not want to go to a specific doctor, they cannot obligate him to do so. They would have to provide him with a selection of doctor to pick from, OR he could do the same.