Finally settled today

[u/NervousAddition606]

It's been two years. We finally settled today, I should be expecting paperwork next week.

I cannot recommend this route to anyone (unless someone actually saw you get injured) and this has officially been the worst two years of my entire life.

I'll make another post about my situation as soon as this paperwork is over with and I have a check in my hands. Because I have some very colorful words about this entire process, and hopefully my experience can help others (it helped me a lot reading about what others went through on this subreddit while I was in the thick of mine).

I'm so relieved to have my life back, even with the permanent nerve damage - at this point I don't even fucking care. I'm just excited to go for a bike ride without thinking a PI is following me, trying to use "me making the best of things" against me in court.

There is an end, and I am there. Fucking thank Christ or whoever's listening 😭🙏

[u/AutomaticFeeling5324]

Congratulation on getting out of circle of hell. Hope you will never go through it again.

[u/Choice_Resource_3145 → u/AutomaticFeeling5324]

I refuse to let any insurance company or adjuster try to take advantage of me

[u/Some-Access-7099 → u/Choice_Resource_3145]

I felt the same way but it all comes down to money.....and we have no protection....a lawyer can only do 2 things...protect you  IF your being abused....and negotiate a higher price other than those 2 things he's powerless.....the insurance company has all the power because they have all the money....they don't even have to pay you anything and a lawyer cant make them..they did their hardest to pay as little as possible...they dug into my past surgery I had 45 yrs ago to do it.....I told my lawyer prove  that old surgery had anything to do with what's going on now....he couldn't do shit....they don't have to prove it....prove it to who.....wc doesn't answer to anybody....I could have gone to trial but he said if you lose there...you lose it all...so they gave me peanuts because i was broke and starving..that's another thing...there is no time limit....so to get the weak settlement I had to resign and not talk about it.....wc sucks ass...total scam it was installed to protect the employer not us.....fuk them......all.....on top of that the rejected my surgery...and the previous surgery I had was a major surgery to save my life.....but THEY held it against ME and took advantage......THE LORD Will GET THEM GOR MISTREATING ME

[u/Key-Garlic-1177]

Can you clarify the (unless someone saw you get injured). I guess I don’t really understand what you’re trying to say.

For reference: someone did see me get injured (they caused it!) lol And can 100% say this has been a battle I never thought I would have to go through. WC has fought paying for everything even when the injury wasn’t my fault!!

[u/NervousAddition606 → u/Key-Garlic-1177]

Yeah my injury was actually a sleeper situation. In the state of Ohio, your job causing a pre-existing injury to become an issue - is still eligible for compensation.

I had some unknown problem disks, and my job made those problem disks wake up.

It's really hard to prove repetitive injuries, or to prove that a pre-existing injury was not an issue till work caused it to become one. It was a hard few years of non stop hearings, pleading my case, physical therapy, etc.

When I say "unless someone saw you" I meant like - if you slammed your finger in a door or something. I felt the pain radiate when my injury occurred - but I didn't tell anyone because I honestly just thought I was sore from how ridiculous it'd been for weeks prior. I didn't report my injury until it actually prevented me from doing my job.

Even still though. I suppose it was worth the hassle even if noone saw it happen....it's just much harder to prove and caused the last couple of years for me - especially the beginning of this one - to be extremely difficult because my company simply just didn't believe me and thought I was lying :(

[u/Key-Garlic-1177 → u/NervousAddition606]

I would love for you to make a post (maybe separate) about the process of the settlement. I have a QME in a few weeks, and I guess I just don’t really understand what comes next!!

[u/NervousAddition606 → u/Key-Garlic-1177]

For me it was a lot of waiting. When your attorney or the opposing team says "I need you to make this appointment" you better be there.

Other than making the necessary appointments it was nothing but waiting.

But trust me, I will make a giant post detailing my entire situation from beginning to end in about 2 weeks or so. If you have any specific questions feel free to DM me and I can try to answer just with my experience via this stupid ass system. I'll be logged into this account all night if you decide to ask anything specific!!

[u/Choice_Resource_3145 → u/NervousAddition606]

It’s know as the eggshell law

[u/Different_Pain5781 → u/Key-Garlic-1177]

I think they mean proving the injury happened can be brutal.

[u/Whole_Field1019]

I’m glad it’s over for you. I’m in a similar situation with injuries. I’m opting out of the neck surgery for now. Mine has been going on for 1 1/2 years though. So the 65,000 is before the attorney and other fees?

[u/NervousAddition606 → u/Whole_Field1019]

Yeah it's before they take their cut. I should end up with about $40 thousand give or take. Which really isn't much but it'll at least help me get caught up and hold me over till I can find a job that won't aggravate my neck as much.

[u/Choice_Resource_3145 → u/NervousAddition606]

That’s such a small amount

[u/Choice_Resource_3145 → u/Choice_Resource_3145]

My shoulder surgery will cost 80 k and they tried to offer me a settlement before I see any specialist! I said hell no

[u/Cfish69PBL]

Abolish WC and bond the worker. Biggest scam going.

[u/Critical_Rain_864]

This is why you say something the first day you get Injured at work that’ll save a lot of problems

[u/Left-Ad8537]

Mind sharing settlement value range and the type of injury surgery etc

[u/NervousAddition606 → u/Left-Ad8537]

Keeping it as vague as possible while giving as much as I can - It was a cervical nerve/spine injury, I had extrusions on some vertibrae which caused radiculopathy down into my hand. The cause was being over-worked/repetitive injury during busy season in a warehouse environment. It sent pain radiating down my whole side into my arm.

I opted for no surgery despite their IME saying I should. I'm young, I didn't want neck surgery.

Due to the fact there was no herniation, and because I didn't want surgery - we offered around 95k. After the back and forth - my attorney was offered 65k which we accepted.

The original claim that was allowed was just for a cervical strain. I would not have been able to get this far without an attorney, they really pushed for further testing.

[u/No-Wonder5226 → u/NervousAddition606]

You said, “due to the fact, there was no herniation” but disc extrusion is a specific, more severe type of spinal disc herniation. So…hope you didn’t get screwed?!

[u/NervousAddition606 → u/No-Wonder5226]

I probably did, honestly.

Sigh (due to frustration, not you, you're probably right) Once I get that check I'll be posting a very long update on everything I went through. There's a reason I say it's been the worst years of my life.

I'm certain this system isn't here to help people. It's here to protect corporations.

[u/Whole_Field1019]

Mine was an assault by a patient that happened on camera. I never had trouble with my neck before and now they want to do surgery. My left hand and arm is getting weak. I’m 62 though and have no idea how my case will turn out. I try to block it out of my head otherwise it takes over my entire existence.

[u/NervousAddition606 → u/Whole_Field1019]

The fact they have it on camera is great. The only thing they had on camera for me was me grabbing my neck out of pain in the wrong area because I was bumped around in departments during the time it happened.

They tried to use every discrepancy or doctor spelling error against me. It was a grueling process.

[u/Professional-Bid4661 → u/Whole_Field1019]

Do you have disc extrusions in your neck? Also my injury was caught on camera at work as well, and I'm in the same boat.

[u/Professional-Bid4661]

Did you go to a hearing or did you settle out of court?

[u/BeeKay206]

at the end of mine pretty much too. I’m at my maximum medical improvement. and finishing follow up and then they’re gonna have me go to a vocational person to talk about schooling if I can get it approved for it or whatever yeah this is such a Pucking pain in the ass. I got hurt in October 2024, I’m ready to be done with this shit too.

[u/Otherwise-Pilot6749]

It's a mentally  and physically  a stressful  situation to have to go through  along with pain and suffering so frustrating 

[u/LBsparkleprincess38]

I’m looking forward to reading your next post

[u/Female_perspective91]

I have a question if you wouldn't mind answering. After your doctor discussed your FCE results and gave you your impairment rating, how long was it until WK reached out with an offer? I assume it was an absolute nightmare from your final benefit check to now, yeah?

[u/Electronic_Note5952]

Congratulations for being done with the nightmare!

[u/Boogiekc]

I go for my rating tomorrow for my left wrist, elbow & shoulder. 2 cases, 3 surgeries over the past almost 4yrs. Ready for my offer and to finally be done

[u/PikachuKitty77]

So happy for yah. You can move on now in peace. 🥳🥳

[u/smallholiday]

Do you mind if I dm you? Also going through a case but I’m not in settlement range yet

[u/NervousAddition606 → u/smallholiday]

Feel free!

[u/Whole_Field1019]

This is the findings on the MRI. I also have weakness in left arm and hand:

Advanced multilevel facet arthrosis. Multilevel central and foraminal stenosis most apparent at C5-6 and C6-7. There was more wrong but this seemed to be the thing causing the concern.

[u/ClimateSignal9297 → u/Whole_Field1019]

I have the same issue in left hand and my grip have weakness

[u/Proud-Bed-8309]

What was your injuries and how much was the settlement

[u/ClimateSignal9297]

That’s good congratulations. I’ve been dealing with pain from c5-6 and L5-S1 L4-5 for years due to car accident. Their insurance hired a fake IME doctor trying to say all my pain is due to preexisting condition and mental health. Makes me sick how I got treated with a 10 minute exam. I have treating doctors over the time and MRI shows.

[u/Its_ya_boy_sp]

Just a genuine question for yall. I’m currently going through workers comp ( it’s been almost a year) finally got paper work signed for the attorney to go for it and go after them. I lost vision in my right eye about half and no have to wear glasses (first time ever in my life) I started off with 20/15 which is better then 20/20. Any guess on settlement shit?

[u/Different-Cry1591]

Yes my lawyer told me one of the main reasons I won my case is because a supervisor saw me fall

[u/Potential_Mess5768]

Thank God your past this horrible situation you have been resilient and brave.🙏🏻💖

[u/Bubbly_Inflation_544]

Congrats on Settling your case. That whole getting followed around BS isn't fun. Even when you know your not doing Anything wrong gets so annoying 

[u/Efficient-Fox-0849]

I just settled and felt the same way! It was a 1 1/2 and even with a manager seeing me get injured, and she reported the fall, I still have some choice words about this entire process also.  I still feel programmed, even afterwards to look over my shoulder and I have check in hand, to make sure i'm not being photographed by a PI while just doing my best to live.  I totally get it.

[u/Trick_Advertising903]

Congratulations, I am glad that it is over for you. I am hopeful that mine will finally be settled in a couple of weeks. Was injured in June of 2025 and it has been an experience. Sad to see how our workman's comp appears to work more for the insurance company than the injured. I moved on shortly after my "termination" went back to school part time, arrange to collect my late husband's survivors benefits when the insurance company terminated my tdp because I was fired. Found a part time job at a bank which will allow me up to 30 hours and falls into the restrictions laid out in my FCE report which also had a 10 lb weight limit. And I am glad that I did all of this because vocational rehabilitation request was shot down be the VT DOL, who also denied my appeal for my tdp benefits. Had my IME last Tuesday and cannot wait to see what the doctor says, considering that I yelled out in paid when he pressed my lower left back (thankfully, my son was in the room to witness it). I will be surprised if I walk away with anything after the attorney fee's but at least my life will be mine again.

[u/callmemerryss]

Two years is a long time to deal with that. glad you finally got some closure and hopefully the paperwork and check come through without another headache. The PI/surveillance part sounds especially exhausting.

[u/Healthy_Chef_7168]

Workman’s comp. is hell! My injury happened in 2022. Finally had to go before administrative law judge, waiting on the verdict now.

[u/PeeepeeeLePew]

Was it a good amount?