- Jurisdiction
- Alabama
Hello,
The accident happened at an assignment at a major auto manufacturing company through the temp. agency I am working for. Basically, due to unsafe working conditions, I slipped and fell forward, and my hand took the brunt of the fall. A little backstory, the area where I fell is actually underneath a conveyor where cars pass by and 2 workers spray rustproofing in various parts of the car frame. Due to the shoddy spray guns they use, there is a whole lot of overspray that lands on the flooring, which I believe is concrete underneath, but is covered by what I believe to be sort of like black tar paper that is put on roofs. This spray is extremely slippery, and even though I was moving at a slow pace (nothing to hold on to while walking, as well as no warning signs), I still slipped and fell (I was wearing a pair of black leather shoes with what I thought to be slip-proof (yea, right), not sneakers or anything.) There was one worker that witnessed the fall and we both filled out an accident report.
I was sent to the local ER about 1.5 hours after the accident (I work 3rd shift and it happened in the morning right before I was to get off work). My hand was swollen about 1.5-2x its normal size. To sum it up, they took x-rays, gave me ibuprofin 800mg and sent me on my way. I didn't find out till 2-3 days later that they had released me back to work for that same night. I was not given a brace or anything. I was told by the temp agency's rep on site that I would have to see one of their doctors before going back to work. This happened on Saturday. I was also told that if I were to follow up with any sort of doctor, that any sort of expenses would come out of my pocket. These statements made to me were debunked that Monday when I was finally able to talk to the local manager of the temp agency. They sent me to see one of their doctors at a family medicine clinic (well, a nurse practitioner) whom ordered a brace, finally, and more x-rays. I questioned the fact that she sent in a CNA to give me a form to sign saying that I was released to work, simply because I hadn't even had the x-rays taken let alone gotten the results from them. I never got a straight answer before leaving the office.
I went to the place they sent me to in order to get a brace, and was told that they didn't have a contract with the insurance company the temp agency uses for workmans comp claims, and was sent on my way. I was finally able to get in contact again with the temp agency mgr (which was 3 days later, my calls went either unanswered, or I was able to talk to someone that said they were going to give her a message to call me back, but she never did. At one point I had to wait for 20 rings before someone answered. They have no voicemail setup for some reason.) And even when I told her I needed to know where to go for the brace and additional x-rays, she said she would get in touch with the insurance carrier and get back to me. This was last week. To this day I haven't heard back from her.
I have seen a total of 4 medical professionals (2 ER visits - 1 initial after the accident, 1 a week later because the pain and swelling weren't getting better, but worse, 1 NP at the clinic the workmans comp insurance company has a contract with, and 1 urgent care visit just this past Saturday in order to get some relief from the pain. I was given 2 injections at the urgent care center. 1 for pain (which lasted 36 hours) and the other one was a steroid for the swelling.
Fast forward to this past Saturday:
Some 13 days later, I get a letter in the mail from a workmans comp adjuster wanting me to give them names and contact information of EVERY doctor that I've seen in the past TEN YEARS. How is this legal? I feel they're fishing for a pre-existing condition when in fact there are none. I have NEVER injured/had any problems with my hands. Isn't this type of inquiry a violation of HIPPA laws?
I may have a fracture that hadn't shown up on x-rays. I found out on my own that swelling can mask these on x-rays, and even without swelling, x-rays don't show everything in all cases. I'm going to an orthopedic doctor today and will press the issue for a MRI to be taken. I have had tendinitis in my knee as well as elbow (not the same side as my hand injury) in my past, and this pain feels NOTHING like what tendinitis feels like.
Thanks for reading my rambles, I just wanted to make sure I covered everything. Any adivice/help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!
Brian
PS: I've attached a pic that I took the day after the injury just so you can see the extent of the swelling and to know that I'm not exaggerating my claim.
The accident happened at an assignment at a major auto manufacturing company through the temp. agency I am working for. Basically, due to unsafe working conditions, I slipped and fell forward, and my hand took the brunt of the fall. A little backstory, the area where I fell is actually underneath a conveyor where cars pass by and 2 workers spray rustproofing in various parts of the car frame. Due to the shoddy spray guns they use, there is a whole lot of overspray that lands on the flooring, which I believe is concrete underneath, but is covered by what I believe to be sort of like black tar paper that is put on roofs. This spray is extremely slippery, and even though I was moving at a slow pace (nothing to hold on to while walking, as well as no warning signs), I still slipped and fell (I was wearing a pair of black leather shoes with what I thought to be slip-proof (yea, right), not sneakers or anything.) There was one worker that witnessed the fall and we both filled out an accident report.
I was sent to the local ER about 1.5 hours after the accident (I work 3rd shift and it happened in the morning right before I was to get off work). My hand was swollen about 1.5-2x its normal size. To sum it up, they took x-rays, gave me ibuprofin 800mg and sent me on my way. I didn't find out till 2-3 days later that they had released me back to work for that same night. I was not given a brace or anything. I was told by the temp agency's rep on site that I would have to see one of their doctors before going back to work. This happened on Saturday. I was also told that if I were to follow up with any sort of doctor, that any sort of expenses would come out of my pocket. These statements made to me were debunked that Monday when I was finally able to talk to the local manager of the temp agency. They sent me to see one of their doctors at a family medicine clinic (well, a nurse practitioner) whom ordered a brace, finally, and more x-rays. I questioned the fact that she sent in a CNA to give me a form to sign saying that I was released to work, simply because I hadn't even had the x-rays taken let alone gotten the results from them. I never got a straight answer before leaving the office.
I went to the place they sent me to in order to get a brace, and was told that they didn't have a contract with the insurance company the temp agency uses for workmans comp claims, and was sent on my way. I was finally able to get in contact again with the temp agency mgr (which was 3 days later, my calls went either unanswered, or I was able to talk to someone that said they were going to give her a message to call me back, but she never did. At one point I had to wait for 20 rings before someone answered. They have no voicemail setup for some reason.) And even when I told her I needed to know where to go for the brace and additional x-rays, she said she would get in touch with the insurance carrier and get back to me. This was last week. To this day I haven't heard back from her.
I have seen a total of 4 medical professionals (2 ER visits - 1 initial after the accident, 1 a week later because the pain and swelling weren't getting better, but worse, 1 NP at the clinic the workmans comp insurance company has a contract with, and 1 urgent care visit just this past Saturday in order to get some relief from the pain. I was given 2 injections at the urgent care center. 1 for pain (which lasted 36 hours) and the other one was a steroid for the swelling.
Fast forward to this past Saturday:
Some 13 days later, I get a letter in the mail from a workmans comp adjuster wanting me to give them names and contact information of EVERY doctor that I've seen in the past TEN YEARS. How is this legal? I feel they're fishing for a pre-existing condition when in fact there are none. I have NEVER injured/had any problems with my hands. Isn't this type of inquiry a violation of HIPPA laws?
I may have a fracture that hadn't shown up on x-rays. I found out on my own that swelling can mask these on x-rays, and even without swelling, x-rays don't show everything in all cases. I'm going to an orthopedic doctor today and will press the issue for a MRI to be taken. I have had tendinitis in my knee as well as elbow (not the same side as my hand injury) in my past, and this pain feels NOTHING like what tendinitis feels like.
Thanks for reading my rambles, I just wanted to make sure I covered everything. Any adivice/help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!
Brian
PS: I've attached a pic that I took the day after the injury just so you can see the extent of the swelling and to know that I'm not exaggerating my claim.
