Workplace injury question

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ZZLPHeels

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I work two jobs, Job A (full-time) and Job B (part-time). I was injured at Job B yesterday. I went through the entire employee injury process and went home early. I did not go to see their doctor yesterday because I wanted to go home and try rest and OTC meds. They told me I have the right to visit their worker's comp physician at any time if I don't get better.

I want to quit Job B, because it is a part-time job and I don't want to risk jeopardizing my full-time job over injuries sustained at Job B. If I quit Job B tomorrow, do they still have to cover the care for my injury since it happened while I was on the clock there? It was a lower back injury. My hope is that it is muscular since it seems to be slowly improving, but I don't want to quit and then find out I slipped a disc or something and then be in insurance purgatory. What would happen if I quit and then went to my own doctor down the road if my condition did not get better or worsened?

Also, if I blow my back out 2 years from now at Job A are they going to be able to deny worker's comp because I had a similar injury previously at Job B?
 
CFordUNC said:
Dude I’m so sorry you got hurt. I know absolutely nothing about workers comp so will leave that part to the people here much smarter than me but just wanted to say I hope you heal up and feel better soon!
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Thanks man. It has been a heck of a week but this is nothing compared with what a lot of other people are dealing with so I try to keep it all in perspective.
 
ZZLPHeels said:
Thanks man. It has been a heck of a week but this is nothing compared with what a lot of other people are dealing with so I try to keep it all in perspective.
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Well hopefully you can get some good answers here, get some good R&R and heal up, and certainly I think I speak for a lot of folks here when I say if there’s anything you need from any of us, don’t hesitate to ask. We’re a family here.
 
CFordUNC said:
Well hopefully you can get some good answers here, get some good R&R and heal up, and certainly I think I speak for a lot of folks here when I say if there’s anything you need from any of us, don’t hesitate to ask. We’re a family here.
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If you could guarantee a win against Kansas on Friday night I think that would go a long way towards helping me feel better...;)
 
ZZLPHeels said:
I work two jobs, Job A (full-time) and Job B (part-time). I was injured at Job B yesterday. I went through the entire employee injury process and went home early. I did not go to see their doctor yesterday because I wanted to go home and try rest and OTC meds. They told me I have the right to visit their worker's comp physician at any time if I don't get better.

I want to quit Job B, because it is a part-time job and I don't want to risk jeopardizing my full-time job over injuries sustained at Job B. If I quit Job B tomorrow, do they still have to cover the care for my injury since it happened while I was on the clock there? It was a lower back injury. My hope is that it is muscular since it seems to be slowly improving, but I don't want to quit and then find out I slipped a disc or something and then be in insurance purgatory. What would happen if I quit and then went to my own doctor down the road if my condition did not get better or worsened?

Also, if I blow my back out 2 years from now at Job A are they going to be able to deny worker's comp because I had a similar injury previously at Job B?
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I have never dabbled in worker’s comp (outside of a law school class I took nearly 25 years ago) so do not take anything I say as legal advice. But years ago, we had a disgruntled ex-employee filed a worker’s comp claim against us. She filed the claim after she had been terminated from her job for an injury that she alleged occurred while she was working for us. The claim was BS, but apparently the fact that she filed it while no longer working for us was not a defense. We ended up settling, as the cost of the settlement would have been less than the cost of continued litigation.
 
ZZLPHeels said:
I work two jobs, Job A (full-time) and Job B (part-time). I was injured at Job B yesterday. I went through the entire employee injury process and went home early. I did not go to see their doctor yesterday because I wanted to go home and try rest and OTC meds. They told me I have the right to visit their worker's comp physician at any time if I don't get better.

I want to quit Job B, because it is a part-time job and I don't want to risk jeopardizing my full-time job over injuries sustained at Job B. If I quit Job B tomorrow, do they still have to cover the care for my injury since it happened while I was on the clock there? It was a lower back injury. My hope is that it is muscular since it seems to be slowly improving, but I don't want to quit and then find out I slipped a disc or something and then be in insurance purgatory. What would happen if I quit and then went to my own doctor down the road if my condition did not get better or worsened?

Also, if I blow my back out 2 years from now at Job A are they going to be able to deny worker's comp because I had a similar injury previously at Job B?
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I have a feeling WC law varies by state. In California, you don’t have to be employed to bring a WC claim. In fact, there are a lot of plaintiff firms that routinely bring WC claims and wrongful termination claims (two separate actions) after an employee is fired.

That said, it is probably a good idea to get scans before quitting the job. If there is damage getting picked up on the X-rays or MRIs, it will help you prove that the injury was existing before your job ended. And if there is no damage, then you should have some peace of mind.

If you reinjure later, the first job can always try to allocate a portion of the claim to preexisting injury. That said, backs are always preexisting injuries. Almost no one has a great back by middle age. The fact that you had a back injury in the past isn’t going to be a complete defense to a new claim for injury. Backs are extremely common WC injuries.
 
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ZZLPHeels said:
I work two jobs, Job A (full-time) and Job B (part-time). I was injured at Job B yesterday. I went through the entire employee injury process and went home early. I did not go to see their doctor yesterday because I wanted to go home and try rest and OTC meds. They told me I have the right to visit their worker's comp physician at any time if I don't get better.

I want to quit Job B, because it is a part-time job and I don't want to risk jeopardizing my full-time job over injuries sustained at Job B. If I quit Job B tomorrow, do they still have to cover the care for my injury since it happened while I was on the clock there? It was a lower back injury. My hope is that it is muscular since it seems to be slowly improving, but I don't want to quit and then find out I slipped a disc or something and then be in insurance purgatory. What would happen if I quit and then went to my own doctor down the road if my condition did not get better or worsened?

Also, if I blow my back out 2 years from now at Job A are they going to be able to deny worker's comp because I had a similar injury previously at Job B?
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Not my practice area at all and if you have a meaningful claim you really should consult a WC attorney. From what I’ve heard from folks who represent insurance companies, a claimant who quits their job after an injury can still file a claim for injury while employed but creates a lot of potential defenses for the insurance company to limit or avoid the claim, but you would want an expert to confirm the cost/benefit for you.

As a practical matter, I understand wanting to walk away from job B so it doesn’t interfere with your ability to perform your primary job.
 
I was inured on the job as a school teacher. I was coaching High School baseball and was hit in the side/back with a line drive throwing BP. Went to the workcomp doc for xrays and such. Didn't crack a rib but I got the documentation and a prescription.

Definitely go see the workman's comp doc from Job B. Get the x-rays, get the prescription, file the paperwork, whatever. Do it before you quit the job. Get it documented in case you do have further back issues that can be determined to be from that particular injury - even if it's a couple years down the road. You'll have the documentation. You don't have to get the prescription filled or take the meds if OTC is helping. Get copies of the X-rays and file them away. Then, quit job B. You may want to get the script filled, even if you have no plans to take the pills. You can sell them on the street for extra ca$h.... JK ;)

Hopefully you won't have another injury with Job A - but in that event - go see their workcomp doc.
 
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