I am a 29 yr old female that used to work in the post office as a carrier. In Feb. 2012, I was putting dishes away and my shoulder felt like it just gave out on me. I wasn't able to move it even an inch from my side. The pain was in the front of my right shoulder, right under the bone, and on the outer top part of my shoulder. I was fine when someone else raised my arm but not if I did it on my own. The pain lasted from Feb until the beginning of May and then started feeling a little better. As long as I don't use my arm too much it does OK but recently it has been popping again with a lot of pain and stiffness. I can't lay on that arm very long either. I have absolutely no strength and need help still with every day household tasks. The doctor I went to told me it sounded like a rotator cuff injury but beings I don't have insurance I was not able to get it further looked at. What is causing the pain and why is it suddenly coming back? I cannot lift anything over 5 lbs with that arm.

Sounds like you had a correct diagnosis. What did he say you needed to do to correct the injury?

She told me I needed to get an MRI to find out if it was torn or not and that it was in fact work related but the workers comp department with the company refused to pay anything without an MRI, which I could not afford because I don't have insurance. So therefore, the only treatment was an anti-inflammatory med and pain meds (which did not help at all). Now, I am not working at all because my husband wanted me to quit so that I didn't further damage my shoulder. But now I am having the same pains in my left shoulder as well but not as bad. I can't lean on either shoulder for any longer than a few minutes without having pain radiate down through my shoulders. What can I do to either fix this or eliminate some of the pain?

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Originally Posted by flessard

She told me I needed to get an MRI to find out if it was torn or not and that it was in fact work related but the workers comp department with the company refused to pay anything without an MRI, which I could not afford because I don't have insurance. So therefore, the only treatment was an anti-inflammatory med and pain meds (which did not help at all). Now, I am not working at all because my husband wanted me to quit so that I didn't further damage my shoulder. But now I am having the same pains in my left shoulder as well but not as bad. I can't lean on either shoulder for any longer than a few minutes without having pain radiate down through my shoulders. What can I do to either fix this or eliminate some of the pain?

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You will need the MRI. I imagine it would still be covered by Workman's Comp. You might want to look into that since it sounds work related.

I've tried but they won't approve it at all. They told me that I needed to get the MRI in order to get approved for workers comp. Plus, I'm not at the post office anymore so I am now out of their systems. Thank you for your advice though, I appreciate it.

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Originally Posted by flessard

I've tried but they won't approve it at all. They told me that I needed to get the MRI in order to get approved for workers comp. Plus, I'm not at the post office anymore so I am now out of their systems. Thank you for your advice though, I appreciate it.

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Try to post your condition under Workman's Comp. I bet you will find someone in that law field to help you.

You have no idea what type of injury, and what caused it. I honestly can not see them accepting this. And to be honest it appears it is merely an attempt to get medical care since you do not buy medical insurance for yourself.

If in the US, postal employees normally have excellent health insurance, so I do not fully understand why no insurance.

But, it is simple, they have said no, you have to prove it, so you will need medical proof, perhaps two doctors who will agree along with MRI to prove that your work did it, not may have done it, not could have done it, but beyond a doubt did it.

What date did you injure you arm at work, how did you do the injury, those will all need to be listed

With the postal service you are only able to enroll in health care during the open season which is a 4 week period between Nov and Dec. As a rural carrier, non-career employee I was not able to get the insurance until Nov which was after the injury. When I spoke with an orthopedic surgeon about getting an MRI they informed me that I would need 50% up front which I did not have. Workers comp fought me tooth and nail telling me that even though the doctor suspected it to be a rotator cuff injury and with details given to them and even my postmaster agreeing the work was consistent to what may have caused the injury that they could not approve it without the MRI. The doctor sent them everything she could except physical proof of where the injury was and what it was caused by. I don't care about the workers comp, I just want my shoulder fixed so I can possibly go back to work somewhere else. What can I do at home other than alternating heat and cool compresses and taking anti-inflammatory meds to possibly help the pain?

Did you ask your doctor about exercises that will be appropriate for this kind of injury?

Rotator Cuff Exercises

Yes I did. She told me to try and stretch my shoulder while in a hot shower and also very light strength training like 2 lb weights and only about 5 reps every hour or so but none of it is working. Like I said before, any movement in that arm is actually bringing on more pain. I can raise my arm now which I couldn't before but the pain is still there and some days unbearable. Even putting dishes seems to be too much.

Maybe visit a hospital physical therapist or one in private practice? Or even a good chiropractor?

Ok, I will try anything at this point. Thank you.

I'm confused. You think it might be a work related injury, but it happened at home while you were doing dishes?

The work that is done by an rca is repetitive. The first incident with my shoulder happened at work in Dec 2011 and I told my postmaster but he never filed an incident report. I was out on the route when my shoulder made a loud popping sound and pain radiated down my arm and felt like it was on fire. It only lasted about a week and then got better. My shoulder didn't completely give out on me until Feb 16, 2012 when I just got home from work and was reaching up to put dishes away. That's why my postmaster never denied the claim because he knew he was in the wrong for not filing the first incident report.

I don't know why this is in the legal forums other than the suggestion it may be work-related and thus workers compensation-covered. I believe OP should consult with an experienced workers comp. attorney to determine what her next step should be.