Hello.
I just got word today that my workers comp claim had been denied. My primary diagnosed me with Pudendal Neuropathy, then I had to see an IME that took all my symptoms and timeline of injury, etc. He also did a pin prick check and found numb spots on my scrotum and told me my pain was probably nerve related because it is from behind my anus to the base of my penis.
I developed PN over a 4-6 month period of working 10 hour days at a desk job only getting up during breaks.
I have never had any accidents, any surgeries and I dont ride bikes ever so I dont get how "my condition is not related to work". I had even asked repeatedly for a new chair because of how uncomfortable and painful it was to my butt. Then, semeaningly overnight I has pins and needls in the perineum and a couple days later just pain and burning.
My question is, I am appealing the decision and was looking for any credible sources that say that prolonged sitting can directly be a cause of PN or PNE. I found a few things, but I want to overwhelm them with facts and proof that my issue is directly related to prolonged sitting.
My pain is now at an average of 3 when laying on side, 6 when standing and I cant sit for more than a couple minutes without having to get up due to pain so I guess if I made myself sit it would be a 7 or 8.
The drive I was forced to make to see their IME, 2 hours each way, seems to have irritated everything more and the pain has gone up since then and hasnt gone down.
Any links, help or suggestions are very welcome. This is about to get expensive for me and I shouldn't be shafted by workers comp or my employer.
Brad
Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
Brad,
It will be tough to prove that sitting gives you PNE. An injury would be easier but even that would be difficult to sell. Do you have regular health insurance ? It might be easier to get treatment when you don't have to prove the cause. Every claim they pay raises their rates. Good luck.
Don
It will be tough to prove that sitting gives you PNE. An injury would be easier but even that would be difficult to sell. Do you have regular health insurance ? It might be easier to get treatment when you don't have to prove the cause. Every claim they pay raises their rates. Good luck.
Don
Mild to moderate PN for 5 plus years, pain controlled by lyrica and opiates.
Nerve block (unguided) 9/10 Dr. Jerome Weiss - sciatica for 5 months but got numb in painful perineal/scrotal area - he diagnosed entrapment - but no more cortisone for me
Potter MRI 5/11 - rt STL entrapment of PN at Alcocks
Consult with Dr. Hibner Feb. 2012
Bilateral inguinal hernias diagnosed by dynamic ultrasound - surgery on 6/20/13
Feeling a little better, a few more months will tell
Nerve block (unguided) 9/10 Dr. Jerome Weiss - sciatica for 5 months but got numb in painful perineal/scrotal area - he diagnosed entrapment - but no more cortisone for me
Potter MRI 5/11 - rt STL entrapment of PN at Alcocks
Consult with Dr. Hibner Feb. 2012
Bilateral inguinal hernias diagnosed by dynamic ultrasound - surgery on 6/20/13
Feeling a little better, a few more months will tell
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
I was concerned about getting my retirement because of disability. I work for the state teacher's system and was told it would be difficult. After the spine and pain management doctor tried helping with steroid injections and other meds, and finally gave up, and just handed me pain and sleeping pills. Igot all the paper work in order, all the files from all my doctors, and mailed it in. It took about 2 months. I got retro money and time. I think one reason is be ause the doctors here all wrote that my case was helpless and debilitating. And there are no specialists in LA. It can be done. Just start with a dr. Whom you trust and who you know will treat you right as a patient. Miine even called Phoenix and spoke with Dr, HIBNER's people, good luck!
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
I'm a long distance truck driver and developed PN.Has anyone successfully filed a workman comp claim?
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
I am giving an updated thread, but I just received my acceptance letter that workers comp is covering my PNE as work related.
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
Hello bradly.
I just received my MRN from Dr. Potter. It came back as having asymmetric thickening of the left sanctimonious and proximal left sacrotuberous ligament adjacent to the pudendal nerve, potentially to be implicated in pudendal nerve irritation, with additional asymmetric scarring of the anterolateral left aspect of the levator anti muscle, abutting inferior perineal branches of the lower rectal and anal distribution. There are varices coursing the dorsal nerve to the penis, more prominent on the left then the right. No scar entrapment of the pudendal nerve is seen in the posterior midportion of alcocks canal.
I'm a truck driver and drove for ten hours a day. I will be filling a workers comp claim. Did you do a lot of sitting. I look forward to your response.
Redz
I just received my MRN from Dr. Potter. It came back as having asymmetric thickening of the left sanctimonious and proximal left sacrotuberous ligament adjacent to the pudendal nerve, potentially to be implicated in pudendal nerve irritation, with additional asymmetric scarring of the anterolateral left aspect of the levator anti muscle, abutting inferior perineal branches of the lower rectal and anal distribution. There are varices coursing the dorsal nerve to the penis, more prominent on the left then the right. No scar entrapment of the pudendal nerve is seen in the posterior midportion of alcocks canal.
I'm a truck driver and drove for ten hours a day. I will be filling a workers comp claim. Did you do a lot of sitting. I look forward to your response.
Redz
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
Hi Redz. I have another post in this forum I did yesterday with all the details, but basically I never had any issues and had always worked standing a majority of the day. I began a data entry job sitting for a couple hours then running errands, etc. So I was up and down all day. Then my job changed to just sitting all day except lunch and breaks, but other than that I was sitting. I complained of the uncomfortable chair because it lacked padding and had ridges in the groind area from being a many year old, third time hand me down. I was not given a new/different chair and began working 10 hour days per my boss, still only getting 2 breaks and a half hour lunch in which sometimes I would work through.
My pain began as just a numbness and slightly painful feeling that would go away after standing a while, so I mentioned it but never filed a complaint. I never had a sitting job before, so assumed it was similar to the ache from standing all day. The pain was getting worse and almost felt like a lump in my left butt cheek after I started the 10 hour days and even though I switched chairs on my own to another hand me down one and started taking standing breaks during the day, the damage was done and one day I woke up with extreme pain and couldn't sit. I began standing non stop at work, still having pain which I later realized was muscle spasms of the levater ani or pelvic floor muscle. I filed my complaint after the pain did not stop and that began my issues. I was a star employee with top marks, but after my initial complaint was denied by SAIF, I appealed and was then fired (my position was "eliminated"). I was getting unemployment and got a lawyer, did my own research to get my pcp behind me and diagnosed PN, then paid my way to Dr. Weiss in San Francisco. His diagnosis as well as his report and expertise was enough to get SAIF to accept the claim before I had to go to court. I went to 2 IME exams for SAIF, the first guy was an insurance whore that didn't really examine me, but said it was 100% not work related. The second IME, after I had seen Dr. Weiss, afreed with Dr Weiss and was also a Urologist so his opinion and Dr Wiess's were held up very high.
I believe I would not have won if I had not seen Dr. Weiss and gotten his opinion and diagnosis. He has treated and seen thousands of cases, including many truck drivers and said it can be caused by driving trucks. If possible, I would be seen by him. My insurance paid a large portion of the cost, so it was not that expensive. Now I am pusuing a wrongful termination suit against the employer as well as a possible suit because I had complained for months about the chair, as did my manager and we were denied. Then after my injury, they purchased new high end chairs, so they knew they were improper seats.
My pain began as just a numbness and slightly painful feeling that would go away after standing a while, so I mentioned it but never filed a complaint. I never had a sitting job before, so assumed it was similar to the ache from standing all day. The pain was getting worse and almost felt like a lump in my left butt cheek after I started the 10 hour days and even though I switched chairs on my own to another hand me down one and started taking standing breaks during the day, the damage was done and one day I woke up with extreme pain and couldn't sit. I began standing non stop at work, still having pain which I later realized was muscle spasms of the levater ani or pelvic floor muscle. I filed my complaint after the pain did not stop and that began my issues. I was a star employee with top marks, but after my initial complaint was denied by SAIF, I appealed and was then fired (my position was "eliminated"). I was getting unemployment and got a lawyer, did my own research to get my pcp behind me and diagnosed PN, then paid my way to Dr. Weiss in San Francisco. His diagnosis as well as his report and expertise was enough to get SAIF to accept the claim before I had to go to court. I went to 2 IME exams for SAIF, the first guy was an insurance whore that didn't really examine me, but said it was 100% not work related. The second IME, after I had seen Dr. Weiss, afreed with Dr Weiss and was also a Urologist so his opinion and Dr Wiess's were held up very high.
I believe I would not have won if I had not seen Dr. Weiss and gotten his opinion and diagnosis. He has treated and seen thousands of cases, including many truck drivers and said it can be caused by driving trucks. If possible, I would be seen by him. My insurance paid a large portion of the cost, so it was not that expensive. Now I am pusuing a wrongful termination suit against the employer as well as a possible suit because I had complained for months about the chair, as did my manager and we were denied. Then after my injury, they purchased new high end chairs, so they knew they were improper seats.
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
Hello Bradley
Thank you for your quick reply. I will update you when I file. I have one more question. Do you live in the USA.
Thanks redz.
Thank you for your quick reply. I will update you when I file. I have one more question. Do you live in the USA.
Thanks redz.
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
No problem Redz. I am one of the very lucky ones in that my pain is minimal as long as I use preventative care and the gabapentin I am on got rid of alot of the orgasm pain, tingling and pain. As long as I don't stand for excessive amounts of time I can keep my muscles from spasming or cramping.
I am in the USA, I am in Oregon. Because there are no experts or people that are "known" to be trained for PN/PNE, I am sure I will have fun in treatments. They don't just pay me to go where I want to get help, they put me on the Oregon state health plan, kind of like the welfare health plan, so I expect quite a run around and in experienced people that I will try to educate with literature. They will make me do all the steps from PT to Blocks I am sure, then if that doesn't work I'd imagine they'll try to put me out to pasture instead of allowing the surgery, so i'll have to fight again. At least they admitted that it was works fault, I was happy because they all gave me a look like I was making it up or lying. I am only 32, so I am quite upbeat that I'll make a full recovery although I will always be proactive now.
I would be happy to help you anyway I can, if your lawyer needs anything from me as far as there being a claim accepted for prolonged sitting caused PN/PNE I would help anyway I can.
I am in the USA, I am in Oregon. Because there are no experts or people that are "known" to be trained for PN/PNE, I am sure I will have fun in treatments. They don't just pay me to go where I want to get help, they put me on the Oregon state health plan, kind of like the welfare health plan, so I expect quite a run around and in experienced people that I will try to educate with literature. They will make me do all the steps from PT to Blocks I am sure, then if that doesn't work I'd imagine they'll try to put me out to pasture instead of allowing the surgery, so i'll have to fight again. At least they admitted that it was works fault, I was happy because they all gave me a look like I was making it up or lying. I am only 32, so I am quite upbeat that I'll make a full recovery although I will always be proactive now.
I would be happy to help you anyway I can, if your lawyer needs anything from me as far as there being a claim accepted for prolonged sitting caused PN/PNE I would help anyway I can.
Re: Appealing Workers Comp Denial Help
Hi Bradley,
From what I know about work man's comp, very little. I know that you can stay on it indefinitely until positive outcome. If you have any problems your lawyer can petition the court for proper treatment.it usually falls in your favor. The Oregon state heath plan will not be your primary health plan for this issue. I will be sending you a private message .please check for it.
Thanks Redz.
From what I know about work man's comp, very little. I know that you can stay on it indefinitely until positive outcome. If you have any problems your lawyer can petition the court for proper treatment.it usually falls in your favor. The Oregon state heath plan will not be your primary health plan for this issue. I will be sending you a private message .please check for it.
Thanks Redz.