Do not assume your doctor knows how you got hurt

Always give a thorough history of where your pain came from. Your mind is thinking, “I just want to get better. I just want this pain to go away.” The doctors, nurses, therapists and technicians are thinking the same thing. Later on, if no one thought to discuss when and how the pain came on, it will appear to a judge that work may not be the cause. Even if you think that the health care providers should already know this is a work related injury, it is helpful to repeat the date of injury, the mechanism of injury and the name of the employer and nature of the work. There is a big difference between saying, “my back hurts” versus “my back is still hurting from when I picked up that heavy box working for the packing house on October 12, 2018. A good medical history is key and the more it is repeated, the more persuasive it can be. It is also important that your doctor understand your job and what causes you trouble because of your injuries.