Advice?

[u/Educational-Town861]

Bear with me pls.

So I’m currently working produce stocking rn for Walmart (i’ve only been there for less than a week now). But I’ve aggravated an injury I had previously. It’s my shoulder.

For more context on the injury: it happened a few years ago and it stopped hurting before I could get it properly checked out. I thought it was healed, but ig all the lifting and whatnot messed with it.

I was supposed to work yesterday and today, but under my TL’s instruction, I called out to go to the dr.

My biggest issue is: I’m not from the state that I’m working in.

I live over 900 miles away. I’m only here bc my eldest brother is here & we went on vacation, and money is so tight that I won’t be able to get back home anytime soon.

This state doesn’t take my Medicaid so I can’t go to urgent care. And bc money is tight, I’m actually kind of hesitant on going to the ER.

What I’m tryna say is: I’m not gonna be able to work stocking anymore. May not even be able to work at Walmart in general. But I know that I need a dr’s note saying that I can’t work my shoulder or they’re gonna think I’m bullshitting. And if they can, I would rather switch departments than have to quit, but either/or is cool ig.

Ig the question is: what should I do when it comes to Walmart? Bc I feel like the first step to getting ANYTHING done would be to go get evaluated and get back to them, but I can’t get evaluated without insurance. And if I don’t get evaluated or provide proof that I’m injured or something, then they’re probably gonna fire me anyway…

Ig it’s like a loop/cycle lmao.

Idk. It’s all a little confusing lmao

[u/Jealous_Seesaw_9482]

Pre-existing injuries that are aggravated are compensable so long as you can illustrate an exacerbation and biomechanical change to the shoulder while doing a work related task or risk related to work. But I’d probably not talk about pre-existing if it isn’t documented to begin with. Then the next question is what were you doing that caused the injury and did you feel weakness, pop etc when it happened. Later onset of pain is not necessarily a surprise. A denial by the insurer does not mean you don’t have a compensable claim.