Pat Culley
I have already "been there, done that" after having RSD for the past 9 years on a workmans comp claim. First you need to get another doctor's opinion or agree to be tested by the insurance company, as I did both. You need to be seen by a neurologist or a pain management specialist. You will then need to have doctor's statement that you are unable to work due to the RSD and stop work - workman's comp pays your full salary at that point until doctors say you have reached MMI - which is maximum medical improvement, then they make a settlement offer, etc. You need a lawyer NOW to handle things for you with the workmans comp insurance company, also with social security disability, which comes into play after two years of unemployment due to medical reasons - be patient and strong, as Social Security Dept. automatically disapprove the first time you apply for it and usually also the second time. The third application is needed to get the Soc. Sec. Dpt. in action (this is a pretty hard and fast rule of theirs); a lot of ill people drop out of the picture automatically after being turned down by the SS dept - do NOT drop out, with your lawyer keep trying and it then goes through smoothly, but you do need an attorney writing letters, etc. for you. You do not pay the attorney during this time - he is paid a certain percentage of the workmans comp settlement which takes a couple of years before it finally happens - RSD is a very difficult illness to diagnose! In the end, after much crying and wringing hands and worry, it all works out and in my case I wanted the workmans comp ins co to pay all RSD-related medical for life - which they fought but finally agreed to, as well as a small up-front cash settlement (a maximum of $37,000 although people are working to get that changed), plus a monthly amount (once you reach maximum improvement doctors fill out a form and send it to ins company, at which time they make settlement offer and then your monthly salary amount drops to a smaller amount; in my case $900 month plus the $37,000 cash settlement plus I collect social security disability of a little over $1,000+ a month - this will vary depending on amount you earned over the years). You need to apply for Soc Sec disability (your lawyer will do this) before your two years are up- they automatically decline firt couple of tries and this takes time to process all this paperwork back and forth, then they begin paying at the two-year mark. RSD is usually a progressively worsening disease (actually it is a brain disorder, rather than the sympathetic nervous column they used to think was the cause), with constant pain 24/7, and you will start insomnia, and need pretty good round the clock medication to deal with all this. Let me know if you have any questions. Best of luck! Think perseverance!! It's the only way to get through the ins co and soc sec dept nightmare!