I was about 8 weeks into my back injury claim when the adjuster flat out told me my daily pain journal was 'useless for their system.' She said they need specific numbers and dates, not flowery descriptions of how I feel. So I switched to a simple spreadsheet with pain level 1-10, what I did each hour, and the date I first saw the doctor. Its boring as heck but now my settlement is actually moving forward. Anyone else get told their personal notes were worthless?
First QME doctor barely looked at my MRI. Spent maybe 10 minutes with me. Rushed through everything. Said my back pain was "muscular tension." Denied everything. I was crushed. Then my lawyer pushed for a second opinion with a different QME in Sacramento. This one actually read my file before I walked in. Asked about my job, my daily pain, even had me show him how I bend. Took 45 minutes. He found a disc issue the first guy missed. My claim got approved after that. Now I'm in PT and getting real treatment. Anyone else have a bad QME experience and get a second one that actually helped?
I went to a QME in Fresno for my shoulder injury and the doctor spent maybe 15 minutes with me. He didn't even ask me to show him which movements hurt, just read my medical records and wrote it all down. I ended up with a report that barely mentioned my pain levels or how it affects my daily work. Has anyone else had a QME that felt rushed or incomplete?
Curious if anyone else has had a QME give them a totally worthless report and what you did about it.
Hired a workers comp attorney in Bakersfield after my shoulder injury. Found out 3 months later during a settlement call he kept mixing up my case with someone else's. Anyone else have a lawyer blow off details like that?
I just hit the 52 week mark on my physical therapy for a herniated disc I got lifting boxes at a warehouse in Fresno. My workers comp adjuster called last Tuesday and said they won't approve any more sessions because I hit some internal limit. Thing is my doctor still says I have nerve issues in my leg and can't go back to full duty. I was surprised they have this hard cap because I thought it was based on medical need not a calendar. Now I'm stuck doing the exercises on my own at home without any professional guidance. Has anyone else run into this 52 week wall and found a way to get more sessions approved?
I've been stuck on light duty since my back injury back in March 2023, and last week I got the notice that I've officially hit the one year mark of restricted work. That number just hit different when I saw it on paper, you know? Has anyone else here had a milestone number that snuck up on you like that?
Was on the phone with State Fund in Sacramento last month trying to figure out why my medical appointments got delayed. The adjuster straight up said "look I'm not gonna lie to you, I misplaced the stack with your name on it" and then laughed like it was no big deal. Three weeks of PT I missed out on. Anyone else get that level of honesty from their adjuster or did I just hit the lottery here?
After waiting since 2021, my workers' comp case for my back injury at the warehouse finally settled last Thursday. The judge in Rancho Cucamonga approved $12,500 for my future medical care, which felt like a win after all those denials. My lawyer said most cases drag on way longer, so I'm relieved it's done. Anyone else have a case take forever to close in San Bernardino County?
Had my QME exam last month and the doctor's office promised records in 10 business days. It took 38. By the time I got copies, my adjuster had already closed my claim based on a "missing information" loophole. Anyone else waiting a month just for paperwork?
I spent 6 months going back and forth with my primary care doc about what I could and couldn't do after my shoulder injury at the warehouse in San Jose. He kept writing vague notes that my employer's insurance used to deny my modified duty requests. Last month I got approved for a Qualified Medical Evaluation through my case and it was night and day different. The QME specialist actually measured my range of motion with that goniometer thing and gave specific pound limits for lifting and reaching. My adjuster couldn't argue with the numbers like they did with my regular doctor's notes. Now I finally have actual accommodations at work instead of getting stuck on light duty that still required overhead reaching. Has anyone else had better luck with a QME over their treating doctor?
I had my QME last month in San Jose and the doctor spent maybe 15 minutes with me. He barely looked at my MRI or my work notes. Then his report said I was only 5% disabled. My own doctor says I'm at least 25% from my back injury. I've been fighting for 8 months now. Anyone else get a QME that felt totally one-sided?
I was digging through the DWC website last night and saw that a QME can bill up to $1,200 just for a comprehensive report, which explains why my last one took three months to schedule.
I shelled out $800 to a 'vocational rehab specialist' in Bakersfield who promised to get me back to work in 6 weeks after my shoulder injury, but all I got was a generic spreadsheet and two canned phone calls. Has anyone else been burned by these expensive return to work programs in California?
I kept sending my MRI results to the QME doctor and they kept saying they never got them. Turns out their fax machine was broken the whole time and nobody told me. I mailed them a physical copy with tracking and it took less than a week. Has anyone else had trouble with docs losing your evidence during a workers comp case?
I paid a private company $300 to get me a QME referral faster and they just gave me a list of names I could have found online for free. Has anyone else fallen for these shady middleman services that promise faster claim help?
Back in March I waited 8 weeks for a Qualified Medical Evaluation in Fresno. The doctor's office lost my file twice, then the QME portal glitched and wiped my history. I spent 4 hours on hold with the claims adjuster just to get a copy resent. Has anyone else had their QME paperwork just vanish into thin air like that?
My lawyer set me up with a chiro in San Jose who did these aggressive adjustments. After 4 sessions my lower back pain actually flared up worse than before. Has anyone else had a bad experience with a referral from their workers comp attorney?
I had my QME (Qualified Medical Evaluator) scheduled for months, the guy was 90 minutes late and barely looked at my MRI from my shoulder injury. After 3 tries I finally got an AME (Agreed Medical Evaluator) through my lawyer and the whole thing took 45 minutes, he actually read my file ahead of time. The QME doctor wanted to cut my permanent disability rating by 15 percent while the AME actually caught a torn labrum the first guy missed. Has anyone else had better luck going the agreed panel route for their workers comp case?
Had to decide between two lawyers for my workers comp case in San Jose. One wanted to fight everything in court, the other pushed for a settlement. I went with the settlement guy after he showed me how the other guy's caseload was 40 trials deep and he barely had time to return calls. Got my settlement check in 4 months instead of dragging it out for a year. Anyone else go settlement route and regret missing out on bigger payout?
My adjuster said I'd probably be back to work by now but my shoulder still clicks every time I reach for a pan on the top shelf, has anyone else hit a random milestone that made them realize this process is way slower than they expected?
I was at a Kaiser in Bakersfield after tearing something in my shoulder on a warehouse job, and the claims adjuster on the phone actually asked if I had tried just walking it off. I had to hold the phone away from my face and stare at it for a second before I could even answer. Has anyone else gotten a suggestion that absurd from their adjuster?