Sask Wcb
Cut off benefits while waiting for medical investigation/ treatment

In sept 1997 i was injured working on pipeline.it was a lower back injury, i could not walk into hospital, they took xray and sent me home with painkillers.now this was in kindersley, sask, a small town with no real physio or big hospital for proper tests.so as i had no income yet from wcb and no treatment avail. i moved in with a family friend in sylvan lake, ab.there i sought physio, went to new dr.wcb wrote me at 4 1/2 months after injury saying i had to attend a back rehab program in calgary, ab.

i asked my physio therapist about this and she said i could not do that yet, and wrote wcb for me saying this. however i had to go or be cut off. shortly into the program they had to reassess me as my pain was so bad, they had me lifting weights, bending etc... after reassess they told me i needed to see an orthopedic surgeon, and changed my program to modified, which was short walks, relaxation, streching, .

anyhow i was there a month, and was discharged without passing it. and was waiting 3 months to see ortho dr.wcb cut me off 2 weeks after this program even though i was still not to work according to dr and back rehab program and physio therapist. so i had to go on welfare.

a year later was when i got in for 2 mris of my back, which showed i had fractured l5-s1 vertabrae, torn maj gluteal muscle and disc was bulging.

i also had an unstable sacroilliac joint on the side i tore the gluteal muscle which stabalizes it.

dr s said i could not work. i was on heavy painkillers as well. how does wcb justify cutting off benefits after 6 months on a back injury that i am still awaiting to see orthopedic surgeon and get mris done, which show this damage?

Kevin
lethbridge, Alberta
Canada

Company: Sask Wcb
Country: Canada
Province: Saskatchewan
City: Regina
Site: www.wcbsask.com

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