Q: I tore my rotator cuff and had it repaired 10/19/01 and returned back to work on 4/15/02. I am going for my IME on Nov 25th 2002 and am not sure if I need a lawyer for this or just go it on my own. This is the first time anything like this has happened to me.
--Don, Shoreline, WA
Attorney Cliff Horwitz:
Did you have a doctor repair your rotator cuff? The same answer involves whether you should have a lawyer prosecuting your case. Without a lawyer, your rights will never be fully protected under the law. How can they be? Do you trust the defendant's insurance carrier to be fair? You shouldn't.
Most WC exams are a sham that are designed to downplay the injury and convince you to take less and unfair compensation. Get a good Workers Comp lawyer. Rotator cuff injuries are notorious for being chronic, painful and the subject of failed surgeries. Don't get a lawyer if you want to be treated with injustice and like a number.