Need Advice On Getting Back After The Fall...

OK, here's the deal... not sure how to proceed... need to tap the knowledge banks please!

As many of you know I fell about 10 days ago. Reported it immediately in person and was told to call it in to Safety. Safety transferred me to Worker's Comp. who took the report (opened up the claim?) Not sure...

Safety suggested I see a Dr.. Went to a walk-in in my insurance group network which handles W.C. claims. Bunch of xrays... nothing broken. Offered narcotics and muscle relaxants and passed. Took script for 800 m.g. ibuprofen. Could barely walk for a couple of days. Fall was last Tuesday... Dr. cleared me to return to work w.o. restrictions the following (this) Monday. Informed my (Target D.C.) training contacts. Trainer off Monday and Tuesday...

Passed the "range of motion" (EFA) test 2 days after the fall. (They wanted it the very next day after fall but not sure they could arrange it and I told them I didn't have much range of motion). Got "no change" from orientation day test so told "good to go". Then I showed up for work Wednesday and was told "since I opened up a Worker's Comp. Claim" ( I responded Safety did that) I needed to get a new DOT Physical. Had to be their vendor... first opening was today (Thursday) . Turns out it is also part of my (Aurora) medical group.

Examiner was a nice woman. Started out a bit rocky as she kept insisting I had not followed the correct insulin diabetic procedure (because she did not have access to the correct form). As is fairly common dealing with the insulin stuff... it takes a while to convince people I know my stuff. She allowed me the time to walk her through both my history dealing with diabetes over 23 years oe so and the Fed. Med. (State and Fed. (Fed. old and new processes)). All this was because I realized in the waiting room that she would not be able to issue me a new Fed. Med. certificate and card today. This is what my employer wanted and I assume expected. The reason it was not possible is I require form MCSA-5870 signed by my Endocrinologist within 45 days of being submitted (mine is over 60 days now). I passed the exam today but status of my new certificate / card is "pending". My "old" card is still valid but JB Hunt will most likely want or maybe need the new one to be issued. I sent a secure EM to my Endocrinologist via the online system asking her to sign and upload a new form. That will take a few days, probably, if she is willing and able to do it without seeing me, seeing evidence of testing, etc..

In the meantime... I was told they were "jockeying" tractors for service today (not delivering) and Friday may be called off for weather. Trainer normally drives all but Monday and Tuesday, so a full 2 weeks off is now looming on the horizon. And if Endocrinologist insists one seeing months of daily test results... let's not go there just now! FYI... I was at her office yesterday picking up a letter to aid my appeal of my insurance company's denial of a request for a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) device.

Today was "pay day" and my net was $0.00. Guessing gross was the same. Been off for about 10 days now... old Trainer's normal days off, PTO days, new Trainer's days off, weather, and injury / return to work process.

So trying to figure out how to deal with multiple issues. First and foremost is getting approval (again? Final approval?) to return to work. Then how to deal with no pay / worker's compensation stuff. All without damaging new and potentially fragile "relationships".

Issues are I am training out of Target but for Amazon. I deal with a couple people in a couple of positions at Target (whom I know and see). But I seem to be paid and "managed" out of Amazon by a team of 13 or so. As these are 24/7 operations there is shift coverage. I get a message from someone at Amazon and usually get someone else when I call back. They take the info and say they will relay it but not sure it all happens that way.

I don't really have much of a relationship with anyone yet (just about 15 days of actual work so far), and nothing at Amazon. And of course... big company so departments / processes / procedures...

My primary objective is to get back to work/training. I am not looking to make the whole thing more complicated but also cannot keep not working and not having any income. I do not want to drag out any of this and do not have any experience with Worker's Comp..

I think my official "boss" at Amazon is out. His backup is probably in or I will get one of the other 11! I do have an H.R. contact from orientation. Her focus was benefits but I thought of maybe asking her for guidance.

Hoping to get some ideas on best ways to proceed here.

Thanks in advance and for all you all do!

Oh yeah... Examiner was going to have the "right" conversation with employer explaining that I passed the exam and why she can't issue the new certificate and card, that original is still valid, etc.. Not sure if that will satisfy return to work requirements or not...

You need to get with human resources. There is usually one person or group who deals with OWCP. Not only should they have paid for the exams so that it did not matter if you went through your own group or not, but if you were entitled to paid training and have been considered an employee, you should be getting paid. If you paid out of pocket for the doctors via cash or your health insurance, you and your health insurance company are entitled to reimbursement.

At Prime, they just immediately pay the doctor and the employee. All paperwork was processed by one woman. I had 2 friends with issues and both were solved. So im guessing you just need to get with the HR person you named for direction. However, Prime is a self pay. Other companies may go through an insurance carrier. My Dad had a seperate policy underwitten by a national insurance group for his business. The USPS went through the Dept of Labor.

As far as needing the new DOT card..that is SOP. I needed a new one after i tested for sleep apnea. I needed a new one coming back from a routine surgery for which they had the FMLA papers and the return to duty documents from my surgeon. So in 3 years i have had like 5 med cards or something.

By law, once you informed them you were injured, they have to document it. So the "i didn't file a claim, safety did" isn't really true. They have to ensure you are safe to drive, and they are supposed to file. These procedures are in place to protect both employee and employer. You cant come.back later saying things are worse than what they are because you were looked at immediately..and they cant say you didnt get hurt at work because you reported it immediately.

In the future, i would ask your doctor about how to speed the procedure up regarding form needed for the DOT.

good luck and let us know what happens.

Thank you Rainy.

Yes, medical bills are going to corporate so not a concern.

Paid training is hourly plus overtime. Was hoping they would average previous or pay for 40 hours or something. I have been turning in log sheets so what they see is "time off". Not sure if the logs feed payroll or not. (Elogs only when driving... notation on the paper log pages showing "Elogs" for that period.

Endocrinologist can see me on 18th. (Trainer off day!). She wants 30 days of blood sugars (which I don't have).

Only way to speed process would be to have known it was coming (my bad?) and to have my documents and forms done or in the works. If the new card is a requirement ("pending" and a passed exam not sufficient) it looks like I may be sitting for a while. :(

Thanks for the assistance.

Endocrinologist can see me on 18th. (Trainer off day!). She wants 30 days of blood sugars (which I don't have).

Marc, you may have just learned something. It might be important for you to keep daily logs of your blood sugar levels. You may have unexpected reasons to need them at certain times.

It has been a few years but I believe there is a waiting period of 14 days for WC. You get back pay, but you have to miss 2 weeks to be eligible if I recall correctly

Endocrinologist can see me on 18th. (Trainer off day!). She wants 30 days of blood sugars (which I don't have).

Marc, you may have just learned something. It might be important for you to keep daily logs of your blood sugar levels. You may have unexpected reasons to need them at certain times.

Yeah. Seeing that now. If driving solo I would have these. Really though... long term if current insurance won't pay for CGM I will try new (Company) insurance. If that doesn't work I will probably bite the bullet and just buy it myself (about $1,500). Would hope insurance would cover the supplies (less co-pays and deductibles of course). Sticking myself constantly to confirm good control is just annoying and doesn't guarantee current levels at any particular point in time anyway.

FYI... my test this morning before coffee (and insulin to deal with my "coffee additive" (vanilla bean ice cream) was 127. A number ANY diabetic and/or health care professional would be happy with!

It has been a few years but I believe there is a waiting period of 14 days for WC. You get back pay, but you have to miss 2 weeks to be eligible if I recall correctly

Thanks Grumpy!

2 weeks as in not eligible / no compensation if injury does not keep one out for two weeks or 2 weeks as in I need to go 2 weeks before I see anything but I will be paid for my time off? And will it just happen through HR / Payroll or is it a 3rd-party (if insured, not self-insured) and will I need to do something to move it forward?

So I didn't go in today though I was apparently expected. Going in late afternoon for second run of the day with new trainer...

Nope. I'm sc@#$#d!

Or more precisely... I sc@#$#d myself jumping off the truck backwards onto my back! At least that's pretty much how it reads now... Revised report includes a witness account saying i didn't maintain 3 points of contact, which is, I guess, technically true. Of course as best I can surmise that was because I was wearing slippery gloves to hang on to the slippery grab bars which released when I missed the step. Does my level (or perceived level) if negligence affect my rights under Worker's Compensation? "Standing" with my employer? Guessing being out another month - 3 isn't helping me any! :(

Anyway... Endocrinologist needs to see 30 days of test results. (Form asks for 90). She is out all of March! As my Primary Care physician (Dr. of Internal Medicine) also prescribes my insulin he could fill it out. Not sure if he will or not and what he will require.

At this point it looks like I am back to doing handyman work for at least the next 30 days or so. :(

Lucky for my client who has a tenant with a blown water heater! :)

It has been a few years but I believe there is a waiting period of 14 days for WC. You get back pay, but you have to miss 2 weeks to be eligible if I recall correctly

Thanks Grumpy!

2 weeks as in not eligible / no compensation if injury does not keep one out for two weeks or 2 weeks as in I need to go 2 weeks before I see anything but I will be paid for my time off? And will it just happen through HR / Payroll or is it a 3rd-party (if insured, not self-insured) and will I need to do something to move it forward?

So I didn't go in today though I was apparently expected. Going in late afternoon for second run of the day with new trainer...

I believe you are not eligible until you are out at least 14 days, and then you are covered back to date of injury