Post 1 - Timeline

12/20/08 - Saturday - 8pm Slipped on ice covered pavement at the TA in Bloomsbury NJ. Sent a message shortly thereafter on the Qualcomm "for the record".

12/22/08 - Monday - 10am(?) Delivered load in Meriden CT, then called Benefits Girl about hurting my shoulder. Benefits Girl said that the W/C carrier said to just go to the nearest emergency room. The receiver of the load I had just delivered gave me directions to an emergency facility; although I don't think it was actually a hospital. (I can't remember the name of it, but have sent their form requesting W/C information to Benefits Girl via fax then hard copy via TripPak.)

The physician at this facility did not take any x-rays - mandatory in AL W/C cases according to the physician at American Family Care here. He did not do what I consider a thorough physical exam either, but didn't question his diagnosis that I simply had a bad bruise. Incidentally, there were no marks of any kind in the area where it hurt the most.

7:30pm I picked up a load in Brewster NY that was supposed to deliver in McKees Rock PA by 1:00pm eastern time on 12/23/08.

12/23/08 - Tuesday - 10:45am I realized I could not make the delivery before receiver closed for Christmas. (I had to go 74 miles out of route in very heavy Holiday traffic to get fuel the day before, and I could not recover the lost time.) I was laid over in PA from this time until I delivered the load on 12/29/08. My shoulder was sore/stiff during this period, but because I was inactive, it didn't hurt enough to warrant another emergency room visit.

12/29/08 - Monday - (not sure of the time) Unloaded McKees Rock PA; deadheaded to Mt Pleasant PA; dropped/hooked to a load bound for Ellenwood GA. Was intermittently experiencing sharp stabbing pain, like someone stabbing with a knife, in addition to soreness/stiffness in my shoulder.

12/30/08 - Tuesday - 10:30am Unloaded Ellenwood; reloaded Doraville GA bound for Jackson AL with no specific delivery date because I was due home time. Arrived home early that evening. Was intermittently experiencing sharp stabbing pain, like someone stabbing with a knife, in addition to soreness/stiffness in my shoulder.

From this point on, certain movements of my shoulder would cause a "catch" of sorts that resulted in dull but intense pain. The movements were always different - sometimes complicated backward motion would cause a catch; sometimes it wouldn't. Sometimes simply reaching for something 5" away would cause a catch; sometimes is wouldn't.

12/31/08 - Wednesday - New Year's Eve. Everything was closed. Was intermittently experiencing sharp stabbing pain, like someone stabbing with a knife, in addition to soreness/stiffness in my shoulder.

01/01/09 - Thursday - New Year's Day. Everything was closed. Was intermittently experiencing sharp stabbing pain, like someone stabbing with a knife, in addition to soreness/stiffness in my shoulder.

01/02/09 - Friday - (not sure of the time) I called Benefits Girl, and Benefits Girl had the W/C adjuster call me directly. Tuscaloosa was too far, so W/C carrier sent me to American Family Care in town. W/C had already contacted AFC, and they knew who I was when I came in. But by the time I got there, the waiting room was packed with "first come, first serve" patients. I decided to wait until Monday.

01/05/09 - Monday - (not sure of the time)
I was examined by the doctor at American Family Care, and put on a “Modified Work Program” for 4 days pending the results of a MRI. X-rays were taken.

AFC notified W/C adjuster I needed a MRI.
Dispatch sent somebody after my load.
Dispatch sent somebody after my truck.

01/06/09 - Tuesday
Safety Man reassured me I still had my job

01/08/09 - Thursday
A scheduling service representing the W/C put me on a 3 way call with a place in Alabaster to make an appointment for the MRI for 8:00 AM the next day.

I asked Benefits Girl about when I'd get my first W/C check. She didn't know, and emailed me contact info for W/C adjuster.
Emailed W/C with same questions.

W/C called me, asked some questions, and decided my date of disability was 1/5/09, but didn't have any pay info.

01/09/09 - Friday
MRI done at 8:00 AM

2nd claim adjuster called with pay info, and told me to go back to American Family Care for an extention on the 4day Modified Work Program.

American Family Care obtained the results of the MRI but the doctor couldn't interpret them. He told W/C I needed to see an Orthopedist. Unlimited time extention.

2nd Claim Adjuster called me later with an appointment to see an Orthopedist (W/C's choice) on 01/13/09.

01/13/09 - Tuesday
Orthopedist (W/C's choice) released me back to work that same day with the following limitations: "no repetitive overhead use of right shoulder for 2 weeks then resume duty."

01/14/09 - Wednesday
My older Brother, who is a worker's comp adjuster himself, told me I needed to request a "Panel".
Sent email to 2nd Claim Adjuster requesting a Panel - though I didn't know what it was exactly.

2nd Claim Adjuster called me and told me to go back to work because it would take a while to get the Panel together.

01/15/09 - Thursday
Safety Director at AMX called me. He had seen the order to go back to work "no repetitive overhead use of right shoulder ..." and had discussed it with the Benefits Girl. While I didn't do any overhead work, there was a lot of stretching and bending getting in an out of a truck. I explained what parts of my job hurt the most - releasing the king pin latch.  Safety Director told me there was no point in coming back to work until "I felt comfortable with it."

01/16/09 - 01/22/09 - Nothing Significant happened.

01/23/08 - Friday
Opened "panel" letter; chose a new Ortho; and faxed my choice to W/C Nurse.

01/26/09 - Monday
W/C nurse called to tell me when new Ortho appointment was.

From this point forward everything went smoothly with my claim.