AboutMargot RN BScN GNC Expertise Please feel free to ask anything, but the more specific you are, the easier it is for me. Please share as many details as you are comfortable doing. I do check my Emails daily Monday through Friday so you should receive an answer within 24 hours on most business days. Thanks.
Experience I have 18 years experience as a Small Business Owner-Operator; I own a Nursing Agency so often deal with both employee and client injuries. I would be pleased to offer any assistance I can. If I can not answer your question I'll do my best to direct you to an appropriate resource. Thank you. Experience in the area 20 years of Long Term Care and Community Nursing, specialising in Geriatrics, Gerontology and PalliativeCare.
Education/Credentials Registered Nurse , Certified Gerontological Nurse, Bachelor of Science in Nursing >
Question I have been an RN for 22 yrs, most all in ER. The last 5 yrs. I worked in a trauma center loved my job. I had an injury in 7/05 to my neck at work. I ended up with first a cervical laminectomy to relive arm pain, 11/05. I went to PT all the stuff I was told to do. They let me go back very PT (previously FT) in 06/06 for only about 10 weeks, the pain was unbearable. I went back to the neurosurgeon where we tried some conservative methods & eventually ended up in 02/07 with a cervical fusion on C5,6, &7. They had wanted to do the surgery in Nov 06 & then again 12 06. I cancelled after contacting my primary MD due to asthma which I did need change of meds & antibiotics both times. WC stopped paying from 11/06-2/07saying I was non-compliant (I have documentation from my MD as well as the neurosurgeon). After the surgery I could not swallow well, being told this would go away I continued to have a lot of difficulty. I ended up back in the hospital within a week, I was seen by an ent on call & then followed by a wc ENT on discharge. The ENT saw me about 6 X scoped me told me I had GERD, I tried meds, PT ect; he suggested an endoscopy by a GI doc in March which I had showed no GERD. He kept seeing redness,swelling, yet told me he could do nothing for me. The workman's comp nurse was at each of these visits. I started losing weight due to choking, I had several ER admissions given multiple steroids, my neck issue did not resolve, even though the fusion did fuse my pain was never any better. My neurosurgeon called it a "failed fusion". About a month ago I had several laryngospasms ending me in the hospital, one that my neurosurgeon went to but not where I worked. A different ENT on call scoped my throat, said I needed to go to NYC for an ENT specialist. I did, I was so weak, dehydrated, I started all of this at about 120 pounds runner 40 miles a week FT nurse, mother of 4 teenagers. My weight went to 100 pounds, I needed a feeding tube inserted via my stomach (I still have), my voice is barely audible, I continually clear my throat. The ENT doctor in NYC has narrowed it down to two things first and most likely being pharyrangeal/laryrangeal nerve damage for which there is not much treatment. second scar tissue but since this happened from the day after my surgery is not likely. In Oct of 07 workmans comp stopped paying me any benefits, saying I reached maximum medical benefit, I have not collected anything no SSI nothing. I have unpaid bills, I have a suction machine at home, (in case I choke). my life as I knew it is changed forever. I wrote the governor of NJ who put through a meeting on June 13,08 to review what facts I have and what I am looking for. Where do I stand? I have all of my records documented on spread sheets with corresponding reports. I live everyday afraid I am going to choke to death, I can drink liquids but am afraid, I can not go out to dinner with my family, I am afraid of not having my suction machine with me, I have bill collectors calling me everyday, I feel my poor children have sat by the last 3 yrs seeing me like this and this will be their childhood memories of hoping mom is ok everyday. Do you have any insight into this?
Thank You,
Tina
Answer Hi Tina and thanks for writing,
Wow, I am so sorry to read about your horrific experience – your life has changed forever., but hopefully some doctor will figure out how to improve your quality of life in the near future.
My advice is to get the best lawyer you can, the comp has maxed out and you now need to sue for loss of wage, pain & suffering, medical expenses, etc, etc, etc.
You should ask friends for referrals and also try the local Bar Associations for names of good litigators in your area – meet with as many as necessary until you find a lawyer who is competent, experienced in this kind of case (and of course has a successful track record) and most importantly YOU feel comfortable with and is enthusiastic about your case. I’m not an attorney, but I think your only course now is to sue for compensatory damages and to secure your financial future.
