Rhiannon10
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
I need advice what to do ...I am a 66 year old woman and work for a non-profit serving developmentally disable adults in a day program. We access the community by transit busses and lots of walking. June 21, while walking with my group I tripped over a raised part of a new sidewalk. I fell hard and called my immediate supervisor and advise her and that I will file an injury report which I did.
This was Friday, by Sunday I was in so much pain I knew I could not work (which is only 3 days a week) I called my office and asked where I was to go and was sent to a prompt care that handles most of the workman's comp injuries. I saw a male doctor, sent me for x-rays, then a woman doctor said I had a severe chest contusion. Come back in 2 days to see occupational nurse. She said after re-examining the x-ray it showed a fractured sternum, (by the way my sister in law drove me there as I was unable to drive). She asked a few questions had me raise my arms told her my pain level at 9 and sometimes 10. She wrote out my
report as modified duty and lift no more than 5 lbs. I was to ice my chest, take Relifen (which did not help much for the pain)
and maybe carry a pillow to my chest. went to my office and talked to my supervisors (who are inexperienced and never handled a workmans comp complaint before) they said they did not have any work to do in the office, and as it said on my report not to lift more than 5 lbs. I could carry a small bag, holding the required documentation and medical releases for my consumers. I called the next day and told them that I could not even drive, felt like a knife going through my chest, okay so I was off work for 2 1/2 weeks until I felt I could drive safely as the sharp pain was gone. One of my job responsibilities also was transporting a DDS consumer 30 miles so any strong pain killer would have made me DUI. A few days later I got the denial from workmans comp that says I was able to do light duty and denied benefits. BULL! I talked to my HR person and Workman comp people and they said they go by what the doctor put on the report. I had more xrays by the way and they did not show much improvement. My HR person is in an office 300 miles away. She doesn't return my calls, and she stands by what the report said that I now can lift 15 lbs. and she hopes that helps and she doesn't even realize that I have been back to work since July 11. On Aug 5 went back for my next appointment and I was going to really let this nurse have it by saying I could not work with this type of injury. She was nice and said that if I could not work then it is protocol for my supervisors to send me back to her to be re-assessed.
This nurse has seen lots of workman comp patients from our agency and it is protocol but like I said my supervisors are at fault.
Tried to reach my HR person today twice, emailed twice, she may have been out of office but at this point I don't know what to do.
Any advice?
I need advice what to do ...I am a 66 year old woman and work for a non-profit serving developmentally disable adults in a day program. We access the community by transit busses and lots of walking. June 21, while walking with my group I tripped over a raised part of a new sidewalk. I fell hard and called my immediate supervisor and advise her and that I will file an injury report which I did.
This was Friday, by Sunday I was in so much pain I knew I could not work (which is only 3 days a week) I called my office and asked where I was to go and was sent to a prompt care that handles most of the workman's comp injuries. I saw a male doctor, sent me for x-rays, then a woman doctor said I had a severe chest contusion. Come back in 2 days to see occupational nurse. She said after re-examining the x-ray it showed a fractured sternum, (by the way my sister in law drove me there as I was unable to drive). She asked a few questions had me raise my arms told her my pain level at 9 and sometimes 10. She wrote out my
report as modified duty and lift no more than 5 lbs. I was to ice my chest, take Relifen (which did not help much for the pain)
and maybe carry a pillow to my chest. went to my office and talked to my supervisors (who are inexperienced and never handled a workmans comp complaint before) they said they did not have any work to do in the office, and as it said on my report not to lift more than 5 lbs. I could carry a small bag, holding the required documentation and medical releases for my consumers. I called the next day and told them that I could not even drive, felt like a knife going through my chest, okay so I was off work for 2 1/2 weeks until I felt I could drive safely as the sharp pain was gone. One of my job responsibilities also was transporting a DDS consumer 30 miles so any strong pain killer would have made me DUI. A few days later I got the denial from workmans comp that says I was able to do light duty and denied benefits. BULL! I talked to my HR person and Workman comp people and they said they go by what the doctor put on the report. I had more xrays by the way and they did not show much improvement. My HR person is in an office 300 miles away. She doesn't return my calls, and she stands by what the report said that I now can lift 15 lbs. and she hopes that helps and she doesn't even realize that I have been back to work since July 11. On Aug 5 went back for my next appointment and I was going to really let this nurse have it by saying I could not work with this type of injury. She was nice and said that if I could not work then it is protocol for my supervisors to send me back to her to be re-assessed.
This nurse has seen lots of workman comp patients from our agency and it is protocol but like I said my supervisors are at fault.
Tried to reach my HR person today twice, emailed twice, she may have been out of office but at this point I don't know what to do.
Any advice?