I Hurt my Back at Work What Should I Do?

I Hurt My back at Work

I hurt my back and wrist at work after using a hand truck with a flat tire (only one available), i had to relocate 100 cases of product that had been just dropped in the corner of this stores sales floor. The product had to be moved to the coolers, which was approximately 75 feet away. So I was moving the stuff to the coolers, and had quite an obstacle course to go through. As the time went on, my back began to ache, but it wasn’t anything unusual, as I get backaches now and again. So it took me some time to put all this stuff away, as I also had to move things around in the cooler to make space for the stuff. Anyway, I go to my next store and am feeling like i am getting stiff. I called my lead, told him what happened and he sent someone to help me finish. Went home that night took a hot shower and went straight to bed. Fri. Sept. 13, 2013 I went to work the next day and was really sore, again just thought my back was really sore, my wrist had been hurting as well, but I could only feel my back. I just pushed my way thru it. I had been letting my lead know my back was aching and thats why I was so behind. So, once again, I called my lead, who again sent someone to help me finish. Again, same thing, went home, hot shower, Tylenol pm and went to bed. Sat. Sept. 14, 2013 Went in the next day, only was able to get 2 stores done and had to have help again with my last store. Sun Sept.15, go to work, after 2 1/2 hrs. I just couldn’t do it anymore. Called my boss, said I was done, i needed to go to bed. My back was killing me and I couldn’t hardly take a step. He asked if I got injured on the job, and my immediate thought was, no, my back just hurts, I said I just need to go to bed and give my body a break, I said, damn, even my wrist is hurting. So i clocked out, then went to the pharmacy section ( I was working in a Walmart at the time) and bought an ace bandage for my wrist, a back brace for my back, 2 different size ice packs, one for my wrist and one for my back, went home took a hot bath, when the ice packs were frozen, i put them on my wrist and back then went to bed until i had to go to work again. I work Thurs-Mon, so on Mon the 16th, I went to work again, in pain, same situation, except this time, my lead sent himself and two other guys to help me, who by the way, still let me load 7 different cases of 20oz various drinks that go into the coolers up by the check stands. Well, it took me some time to push that flatbed of coke products from the receiving area in the back to the front checkout coolers, then I had to go up and down to fill each flavor of coke products, including lots of water, mind you staying out of everyones way as well, needless to say, by the time I made it back to the receiving area, those 3 guys were just standing there talking as I come walking up, never offer to help unload the left over cases from the cart, separate the plastic from cardboard, then put cardboard in bailer and plastics where they go. Anyway, one of those guys was our merchandising lead!! Thats not pertinent, Im sure, So I am thinking, thank god, I made it through, 2 days off, I can rest. So I stayed down all day tues (17th), and wasn’t feeling any better on wednesday (18th), so I was getting worried, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to go to work thurs (19th) so I decided to go to the doctor, I went to the doctor, He referred me to x-rays, I went to x-rays, brought back the films to him and he looked at them with me. He said my arm may have some tendon issues, as he didn’t see any breaks, and my back has an injury, he pointed it out on the x-ray, the last vertebrae of my spine in my lower back is pushed back about 1/4 inch. He said that definitely will cause some severe pain. Thats whats wrong. He gave me a Drs.. note for a week off, with rest, but wanted me to come back in in 3 days to talk about what to do, as he wanted the radioligist report before making any final diagnose. So I called my Supervisor, sent him a copy of the work release form from my Dr. and He said he wanted me to go to our corporate office and pick up paper work from them and go to the clinic. So I did, I also took my x-rays from my previous days drs appt. I had a complete memory lapse of the incidence that happened with the dolly, on the 12th of sept. and all I could remember for whatever reason, was the pain I had been going thru since sunday, but couldn’t place an actual incidence where I could of hurt my back. I was able to tell him though, that, yes, as I was picking up an 8 pack of 2 liters of coke, I hurt my wrist, thumb. Anyway, he goes out and reads my x-rays, comes back in and tells me that, my wrist injury will be covered because I can put an incidence to the injury, but that my back which is injured however, will not be covered, as it is an old injury. I was dumbfounded. I told him I have never had a back injury in my life. I also told him that I had worked for a merchandising company for almost 7 yrs and my attendance was almost perfect. I probably have missed 5 sick days the whole time I worked there. I went straight from my old job to my job at Coca-Cola. I had no time off in between. Now don’t you think that if this was a old injury I would have known. My employer sure would of. Anyway, He put me on light duty for my wrist injury, called my supervisor I guess, because my supervisor said to me, He was downloading my schedule into my blackberry, light duty, of course, but that their workmans comp doctor released me to light duty, so I needed to come back to work. I said what about my Drs.. note and his response was, our Drs. released you so you need to come back. I went to work today, hurting, but if I have to do it, I have to do it. but thats crazy. So this morning I had remembered about the dolly incident and that that was when I was hurt. I sent him a message, he had me meet him to talk and get some papers he needed i had from the wc Drs. the day before. I brought up the incident, and and so we called the workman’s comp people for coke, and his phone was on speaker phone and apparently it had already been called in by another supervisor and it was noted as a work injury. (my back). So my supervisor says ok, well she has seen the wc Drs.. she’s on light duty. He he says thanks Gail, have a good rest of your day. And I am like ok, well what about my back, my time I am suppose to be in bed, per my doctor. What about my back. A book I know sorry, but thats it.

Workers Compensation Answer

Your question is a little unclear but your employer must follow the restrictions outlined by the workers compensation doctor. If you are unclear as to what your employer is doing they are most likely just investigation your workers compensation claim. If you are still unclear go back in and talk to your boss, or ask for their workers compensation adjusters phone number so you can call them to discuss. You will also get some workers compensation paperwork from their workers compensation carrier in the mail. If you still need help seek the assistance of a workers compensation attorney to assist you with your claim.