The claimant BS was employed by a national telecommunications company in Waterloo, IA. He was part of a union. He was employed to install telecommunications equipment. In late 2015, he fell approximately 15 feet from a ladder. He landed sustaining trauma to his back, his head, and the left side of this body. He was treated locally in Waterloo with a number of doctors who tried injections, medications, and therapy. Although some relief was obtained, he needed additional care and was sent to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics determined that his condition was permanent, although non-surgical. The doctor’s set forth permanent restrictions and an impairment rating associated with the back injury. The claimant contacted the Pothitakis Law Firm because of his concerns about his future ability to work and how he would financially survive if he could not return to his prior level of work. The Pothitakis Law Firm gathered all of his records and placed the claim on file seeking a hearing date.
The Pothitakis Law Firm determined that the prior medical care was not sufficient to detail the extent of the claimant’s injury. For that reason, the Pothitakis Law Firm sent BS to be seen by a doctor the firm often works with to set forth an impairment rating was well as restrictions. The impairment rating obtained from the independent medical exam was three times as large as the impairment rating from the employer chosen physician. Further, the restrictions that were required were significantly more limiting than those set forth by the Workers’ Compensation chosen physician. As a high school educated worker who had spent most of his life in the telecommunication installation field, it was clear that the injury and limitations were going to prevent BS from returning to his prior line of work. In fact, BS ultimately had to resign his position with a similar employer because of the pain and discomfort. The Pothitakis Law Firm took the position that the claimant would be unable to work any employment positions, given his ongoing pain and discomfort. The insurance company argued that he could return to his prior work based upon their doctor’s opinion.
The parties exchanged information and completed discovery, preparing for a trial. An additional step taken by the Pothitakis Law Firm to prove the severity of the claimant’s injury and how it would affect his employability, was the use of a vocational rehabilitation expert. The Pothitakis Law Firm hired an expert to meet to with BS and evaluate his education and to illustrate how severely limited BS’ ability to return to active employment would be, now that he was injured. The Pothitakis Law Firm presented the vocational rehabilitation report, the independent medical exam report, along with an extensive demand for permanency benefits in an attempt to settle the case. The insurance company, shortly before trial finally paid a significant amount that helped to protect the claimant and his family for their future.
Vocational Experts can be very helpful in maximizing the recovery in a Workers’ Compensation claim. The Pothitakis Law Firm hires those experts needed to maximize the recovery in claims that we handle. We consider ourselves the best when it comes to obtaining the most money for our injured clients.
“ I highly recommend Pothitakis Law Firm to represent you. I lived almost 3 hours away and I picked Niko to represent me because he is the best at what he does.” B.S., Janesville, Iowa
