17+ procedures/surgeries within 4 years. Medically retired under the Florida FRS in-line-duty disability retirement. I am close to settling the case and spoke to my attorney. The conversation didn't go as expected. Basically I said the recent surgery I had helped with pain alot. The attorneys response was "so you are going back to work?". Which is odd because he knows I medically retired now for numerous medical reasons not just the WC case. They continued to basically pressure me back to work, using comments like "you are so young" "what are you gonna do with all the extra time?", in all honesty it sounded like they were jealous of my situation even tho it has been hell. Also I am pursuing SSDI for all my ailments and my WC attorney says i would never get it even tho I have a seperate SSDI attorney that has a strong sense I will get it. But thats besides the point. So why would your attorney pressure you to go back to work knowing you can't and doesn't want to discuss settlements at all?
u/Heavy_Individual_526
Looking for honest input from people familiar with workers’ comp, especially in Florida. I want to stay somewhat anonymous but give enough detail to get real feedback.
I’m a mid-30s law enforcement with ~15 years on the job. I was injured on duty about 4 years ago during a use-of-force incident, and my case has been ongoing since then.
Since the injury, things have progressively gotten worse instead of better.
Medical situation:
- Had 2 labrum repairs
- One of which the doctor broke a tool off in shoulder
- Bicep reattachment
- Multiple shots and RFA's
- Had a shoulder hemiarthroplasty
- That failed
- Recently underwent a revision to a reverse total shoulder replacement
- During surgery they found:
- Complete rupture of a major rotator cuff tendon (subscapularis)
- Instability of the joint
- During surgery they found:
- Ongoing complications included:
- Significant pain
- Muscle atrophy
- Fluid buildup requiring aspiration (8cc pulled, which doctor said was concerning)
- Went on IV antibiotics via PICC line due to infection
- Hospitalized for 3 days due to picc line creating a blot clot
I’ve also had additional symptoms over time (fevers, fatigue, etc.) that made doctors suspicious of underlying issues even when labs didn’t clearly show infection.
Work / disability status:
- I’ve now been approved for disability retirement
- I am no longer able to perform full-duty law enforcement work
- Currently on TPD benefits
- Also pursuing SSDI (initial denial, now on appeal with attorney who is extremely confident I will qualify)
Case details:
- WC carrier has already paid around $250k+
- Multiple private mediations have been scheduled and pushed back
- Defense has floated a number in the $250k range, but hasn’t formally committed to anything
- They’ve recently asked for a formal demand before putting authority on the table
My concerns:
- I’m in my mid 30's and this feels like a life-altering injury, not something temporary
- I can't return to my prior career
- Ongoing medical care is very possible (and maybe lifelong)
- Pain and function are still major issues even after revision surgery
What I’m trying to understand:
- Based on experience, does this sound like a serious / high-value case or something more moderate?
- Does the fact that I’m now medically retired from a high-risk job significantly increase value?
- How much weight do things like:
- Failed implant
- Revision surgery
- Blood Clot
- Infection
- Long-term disability carry in Florida settlements?
I’m not asking for exact numbers—just trying to sanity check whether this is:
- A mid-level case
- A serious case
- Or something approaching catastrophic territory
Appreciate any insight, especially from attorneys, adjusters, or people who’ve been through similar situations.