Last night I hurt my back at work, I did an incident report and they sent me to the ER. The Dr barely examend me and said I have a pulled muscle, I should be on light duty for a week. Well I did my "light duty" today and now my back hurts more than yesterday.
What should I do? go see my own Dr or have my work send me back to the ER?.. that is the only place they will send me. I want to do it the right way incase I end up needing workers comp.
2007-01-09 16:10:59 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
You can see your own doctor, they will still work with workers compensation, if you have to file for comp. they will get a release from you to send to your doctor and they will work with your doctor. It wouldn't hurt to go back to the ER, just for further documentation. They should do more on a second visit. If nothing more you can keep going back until they listen. If nothing more they will eventually do something to shut you up. Sad but true.
However I would follow up with your doctor as well, sounds like you may need an MRI to give them a more accurate picture of what is going on. It never hurts to have a second opinion.
It would also not hurt to keep a pain diary to document how you are feeling and what at work made the pain worse, etc.
2007-01-09 23:35:44 · answer #1 · answered by Wicked Good 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you want the truth go to your own doctor, if you want workers comp. it is best to go to there doctors. If your town is like ours the place you work for owns the town and it doesn't matter if it is your doctor or theres, the same doctors.
Hurting your back hurts your job. If it is a big company treed lightly, many people are there to take your job. Do things by there rules. Try hard to get better!! Not only do you have to be on light duty but your co workers more then likely have to do your job, which makes everyone cranky.
Been there done that but my injury got my head cracked open and I am still having problems and this had been a few years back. The company is VERY protected though it had been proved to be there fault, this is in my case. Good old SAFE cooperation are pitbulls attacking the poodle.
If you did not list all your medical problems on your paperwork (luckily I did) and they find that your condition is a preexisting condition the crap will hit the fan. They can refuse to pay for anything. So follow there rules.....
Back pain is supposed to be the number one pain condition in our state. Our state has a pain management commission. I will put a link to there web site for you. It gives a person tips etc. on managing there pain.
Good luck!
2007-01-10 01:09:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contact your employer....tell them your not satisfied with the exam that was done at the ER...ask them where else they want you to go. Don't venture out on your own...you'll not get your compensation that way. If they send you back to ER..there's a good chance you'll get a different doctor. Enough ER visits, and they hospital physician will refer you somewhere else...as long as you follow exactly what the ER dr. orders..your employer will continue to pay your medical bills, and your compensation if needed. Legally your employer cannot refuse you the right to medical treatment.
Keep a record of your pain levels...daily...pocket calander or something that you can jot down brief notes and rate your pain on a 1-10 scale...be faithful with this diary....it may be the supporting documentation you need....
2007-01-10 15:18:34 · answer #3 · answered by Shelly B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your back may hurt worse over the next couple of days, then graudually ease off.
i don't appreciate the comment you received-disciplining you on going to the er-if this is where your company sent you-this is where you go. do NOT use your primary care dr. work injuries should be covered 100% by your company and they should have a special clinic they send you to for injuries-if not then you report back to the e.r and file it under workman's compensation. some companies do not have contracts with medical clinics and just prefer to send their employees straight to the emergency room and will pay the bill 100%.
over the next few days-don't do anything that makes your back hurt worse at work-trust what your body tells you. take ibuprofen 200-400mg every 6 hours but no more than 1200mg in 24 hours. if this is not helping-report to your supervisor the changes in your pain level and tell him you want to see the dr again.
good luck to you
2007-01-10 00:34:28 · answer #4 · answered by prncessang228 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you hurt your back at work last night, I would expect it to hurt more today. That's how most musculoskeletal injuries work. Take some ibuprofen or naproxen. If you need to see a doctor again, make an appointment with your primary care physician. Part of the healthcare crisis in this country is a result of people using the ER as their primary care physician, so the insurance companies (or government) have to pay for a $500 ER visit that could have been handled better with a $75 office call.
Please remember that ER stands for Emergency Room. A sore back is not an emergency.
2007-01-10 00:30:04 · answer #5 · answered by firemedicgm 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Go see your regular doctor (ER treatment is unnecessary). Your regular doctor should coordinate any therapies or treatments if necessary. If in fact was a pulled muscle it will take a significant time in healing. So expect some pain. Use your personal judgment and do what is rightfully proper.
2007-01-16 23:14:56 · answer #6 · answered by Abby 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you ask me? I don't give a dam what your boss says go to your doctor an git checked out. Don't do like I did wat to long. Because now I can not work at all. I can't even pick up a bag of sugar with out pain in my lower back, or when I try to walk like I use to. Your boss wont tell you to see your doctor because your doctor might fine more wrong than he/she may want you to know about. So go see your Doctor OK?
2007-01-13 21:04:01 · answer #7 · answered by Blue Eagle 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go back to the company doctor/ER... if they cannot do anything for you, have them refer you to a specialist... if none of this works, see a workman's comp attorney !
2007-01-10 00:19:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Dans right, I'm still on comp from Oct. of 04.
2007-01-10 00:23:39 · answer #9 · answered by Les Gramps 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
go back to ER if you have to
2007-01-14 12:28:04 · answer #10 · answered by rose_merrick 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋