Dr. Dave, I know you are commonly asked about shoulder injuries, so please provide us with some information about these injuries.
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“The 6-Step Process To Determine Workers’ Comp Injury Causation”
One of the most common shoulder injuries we see in the workplace is the rotator cuff tear. The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that are attached to the shoulder blade and the upper humerus. Tears in the tendons are called rotator cuff tears.
The first key point is that there is a typical sequence of injuries leading up to a tear. Tendonitis is the mildest form. This can progress to bursitis, which can ultimately lead to a tear, which often requires surgery. This happens more easily with age and degenerative arthritis, often by bone spurs rubbing on the tendons.
The second key point is recognizing that rehabilitating a shoulder after surgery takes considerably longer than most people realize. This often takes up to six months and sometimes longer before regaining normal function. So don’t be too impatient and order an IME every 4 or 5 weeks or assume a worker is not trying hard enough to get better because normal function does not return as quickly as everyone would like.
So, find a transitional duty assignment to accommodate the injured employee while they are recuperating — which could be a little longer than you expected.
For more cost-saving tips go to WC Cost Reduction Tips.
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Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different. Consult with your corporate legal counsel before implementing any cost containment programs.
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