We get so many thoughtful questions from our clients and readers. We had one the other day from a caller that may seem basic, but it really isn’t. He wanted to know what he should tell his doctor.
The back story for him was that he never had a specific injury. The repetitive nature of working his job led to pain in his elbow and what he feels is a need to seek medical care. He wasn’t sure what to tell the doctor about how he got hurt and his belief that his injuries are work related.
Our answer to him is the same that we tell every person that contacts us. First and foremost, be honest. Don’t embellish anything, don’t make anything up, don’t tell the doctor what you think they want to hear. Just tell the truth. In this case he needs to be truthful about the type of work he does, the pain he notices, when it happened, prior problems, etc.
Second, when talking to a doctor, don’t assume they understand your job. It’s really important to be as detailed as possible about your job activities, especially when you believe you have a repetitive trauma claim. So don’t say, “I work as a line worker and my elbow hurts me.” Do say (assuming it’s true), “I work as a line worker at a factor. My job involves me standing in the same spot for at least eight hours a day. During that time I handle approximately 500 parts that I help put together for the product we make. I’ve been doing this job for five years and recently began working a lot of overtime. I’ve begun to notice that my elbow is painful at the end of the shift. Whenever I put a part together I have to twist my arm and this happens at least 200 times a day. My elbow seems to be better after the weekend, but on Friday after a long week it’s really painful. I’ve been taking Tylenol for a month now, but that’s no longer working.” Etc.
If you look at my second example it’s clearly more descriptive and helps the doctor understand the situation. This allows you to then ask if he agrees with you that your job has contributed to your situation. If the doctor says yes then you should win your case.
Never assume that a doctor knows what your job involves even if you think he should. Even if you are a fireman, make clear how often you lift a hose, clean the truck, unload equipment, etc. I have some friends that do that job who sit around all day and do nothing and others that are constantly dealing with fires and emergency situations. You don’t want your doctor to assume based on their life experiences what your job does. Being honest and descriptive gives you the best chance of getting a true opinion from them as to how they feel your job has impacted your Illinois work injury.
We are workers’ compensation attorneys who help people with Illinois work injuries anywhere in IL via our statewide network of attorneys. Contact us and we will answer your questions or find the right lawyer for your situation.