What a week

[Sandra]

Hi all grumbling for a good reason again as per usual. I've been doing physio for a whiplash injury since Fen 2007. I was hit from behind at a red light, totalled my car, a buick,to the tune of 13000.00 so you can imagine the impact.
I have never asked for a dime only my physio. I know how to be patient with an injury all to well. I'm much better now only having difficulty with flextion, looking up which one doesn't spend much time doing anyway, but the big bug-a-boo is chin to ches looking down or over my shoulder. So i do my physio excercises, keep active as i can without over doing, heat, ice and pain meds when it gets out of  hand and go to physio once a week someitmes twice if it's reall bad.

Had to have an accessment by a different physio guy for the insurance company. Well he agree's there is injury agrees that the injury is taking longer to recover due to the sjs, fibro and other AI stuff. But says that the "treatment modalities are too passsive" so based on that he feels that the continued treatment plan is "not reasonalbe and necessary". So my insurance has just decided based on that ridiculous report that they won't continue with physio treatment.

i am so fed up with fighting everyday to carry on and then to have to deal with the so called experts that have no clue what (we) I deal with. He states his suggestion is to continue physio exercises, heat and ice, being active but cautious, and resting on bad days.  Holy smoke that's exactly what I have been doing and what my physio has been working on me with. But on the days that one just can't sit out and my neck gets raging I need pain control too. A trip to the ER and a shot Demerol and muscle relaxers that would drop a horse does that and I was forced to go heavy pain meds on occasion, but physio works too and it's a whole lot less invasive and I rarely get in that bad trouble as long as i can go. Gees!

So now my ins want to settle, offering quite a bit of money, but how am I supposed to know how long i will need to recover? Everything with me takes forever to heal! The physio is like a hundred bucks a shot. Why oh why do the guys at the top always making things so difficult, now there's paperwork and rebuttle blaa blaa blaa....I'm sure that will help the problem a whole bunch...Thanks for the vent, Sandra 

[missyb]

Sandra,
Not sure what kind of response you are looking for, but if it were me and if they are offering a "good deal of money", I'd take it. If you involve an attorney to get more, you won't end up with much more than their bill and a bunch of aggravation which probably won't get more $ in your hands. I understand what you mean when you say it takes longer to heal, so if your body is going to heal slow, it's going to heal slow whether you have the money or not. Make sure you get reimbursed for you car,, and 3 times you medical bills to date. Insurance companies are going to getting increasing difficult to settle with, and the pay outs are just going to get smaller. But this is just my own personal opinion, of course, you should do what feels right for you.
It sounds like a big mess, sorry you have all that

[BonusMom]

I'd have to say that missyb is right on with her advice.

I've worked in the industry for 20 plus years and I can tell you that "eggshell" plaintiffs are the toughest claims to settle.

There's no way to predict how long it will take to fully recovery, or if you'll ever reach your pre-injury status.

Your medical insurance should pay for the physio after your auto claim is paid.

DISCLAIMER:  I'm not an attorney and nothing contained herein should be construed as legal advice.

[harrigan]

Sandra - just wanted to say I understand your frustration.  I know that doesn't make it go away.  That helpless feeling and lack of power is overwhelming when the people who make the decisions don't begin to understand the consequences of them.  I had an accident at work in January which resulted in severe whiplash.  I was eligible for 4 physio sessions through Occupational Health then nothing more.

On top of that, in spite of being ?150+ out of pocket as well as all the pain, my school refuses to cover any costs and hasn't attempted to understand the anxiety of going back to work in the same situation.  My Union took the situation to their lawyers who said their only option is to claim against the pupil, which I don't feel is right.  For a couple of weeks I was stuck in anger, frustration and sheer helplessness (on top of the pain and anxiety).  It's faded a bit now but I think there are times when we are treated unjustly and the only way to regain control is to let it go.  I know how hard it is to do that.  I have to do it several times a day sometimes. 

Sorry for going on and on.  Just didn't want to say 'I understand' without explaining that I really do understand. If the insurers are offering a reasonable sum, I'd say go for it.  Take care - hope you are getting some spring sunshine, xx Ailsa

[Sandra]

Thanks everbody, I think a big part of the problem is honest people working with big business, it just doesn't work. I love the terminology of the "eggshell plaintiff". They know it too as the first advice given me by my claims adjuster was to considersueing the at fault driver. The thoguth never entered my mind once, he was a nice man who made a mistake that's all. Second I don't want their money! i just want some medical support via physiotherapy until i don't need it any more. i don't feel i can make any decisions about which way this problems will go, I am hoping that with continued therapy and getting back slowly into my routine I will be pain free and on my way in not too much time. But if things where to start or continue to slide how am i or anyone including my physisians and my insurance and some physio guy i don't even know supposed to guest that? Just let me keep moving forward don't plague me with added burden and let me heal. Gosh knows if there is one thing anybody on this board knows it's how to keep on keepin' on. Thanks Sandra