u/Alternative_Fig_9774

I had a workers comp injury in 2022. It was a back injury. I have a lawyer who is amazing. We have fought hard. I’ve had a lot of procedures, medications, and physical therapy. I had a consult with a neurosurgeon recently who told me in no uncertain terms that my pain cannot be solved with surgery, at least not for a very long time or until the injury gets MUCH much worse.

My current treatment plan is pain management. Ablations and medications. The neurosurgeon agreed with this plan.

I want to know how to approach the idea of settling with my lawyer, and when it is time to. I’ve not brought it up at all. Should I be asking for a very large lump sum, so in the future I can pay for the fusion surgery when it comes time? I’m entirely making up numbers here, but hypothetically, if my employers lawyer offered $60,000 for the whole case to be settled and done, would my future medications and ablations STILL be covered? Or would the coverage of the ongoing treatment be halted in place of the money? Could I get that 60k, still get the ongoing treatment covered by the workers comp, but have to set aside money myself out of the settlement for a fusion in the future?

I understand I SHOULD just talk to my lawyer and tell him I am done fighting and, simply, I want my money and to move on. But I don’t know how to broach the topic. How do I say “I’m ready to give up and to deposit a check”?

I’m in Missouri.

I have DDD and OA following a back injury which has, over the last five years, resulted in nerve entrapment and impingement of the spinal cord at T9-10. I’m 22. I’ve had trigger point injections, physical therapy, massages, medial branch blocks, and ablations. I’ve been on every type of NSAID there is. Recently I decided my meloxicam wasn’t working so I called my pain doc and she switched me to Celebrex. I have a cardiac history. I did not know Celebrex is contraindicated in cardiac patients. Today, I called the clinic. The Celebrex is NOT working. I’ve been in tears for a week waiting for “maybe it just needs some time to kick in”. When I was on the phone talking about side effects, I mentioned the heart issues. They sent me to the ER this afternoon where they actually found some cardiac abnormalities, changed from my previous cardiology visit. Now I have to wait till tomorrow to talk to the clinic about alternative medicine.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I’m wondering if anyone has tried Enbrel? Has anyone had ablations in the past and you’re now 5-10 years out from them? What do you do now? Repeat ablations over and over? Did you opt for disc replacement or pain stimulator or pain pump? Narcotic treatment? I think my doctor is so stuck on the “she’s 22 she doesn’t need narcotics or big surgery” that she cannot look past that I am about ready to commit self delete. Genuinely. Seriously. I cannot do this anymore. Please help me. Give me ideas to give to my doctor. I can’t keep doing ablations every 10 months. They’re traumatic and terrible.