014: Compensation-itis.
After two decades dealing with workers compensation cases, I thought I had seen it all. Turns out, I was wrong. 🫤
Howdy everyone,
After two decades dealing with workers compensation cases, I thought I had seen it all. Turns out, I was wrong.
A worker, injured on the job, reported a range of symptoms including nausea, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, memory recall issues, unusual fatigue, confusion, and swelling and pressure in her head, following a workplace incident where she was hit on the head. Additionally, she suffered a soft tissue injury to her arm during the same incident.
During a medical conference, her general practitioner, who boasted 50 years of experience, shuffled through handwritten notes, expressing doubts about the consistency of reported symptoms. He claimed that medical imaging showed nothing unusual and insisted he had not received any reports from the patient about a head injury, asserting that only an arm injury was reported.
Straight-faced, the doctor then diagnosed the patient with "compensation-itis." Incredulously, I sought clarification, and he explained that "compensation-itis" is the condition someone develops when they are on workers' compensation. (what the actual f*ck)
The patient has opted to find a new doctor.
Contrary to the portrayal in popular media, not all injured workers suffer from "compensation-itis." It's disheartening to witness a medical professional, whose duty is to assist the patient, perpetuating such stereotypes.