On Feb. 3, 2022, my world was turned upside down, literally. During the lunch break at a national physical therapy conference, I stepped into a crosswalk covered in a mysterious phenomenon (to a Florida gal) called black ice. My foot hit the ground, my leg twisted at an unnatural angle, and I landed flat on my back as my cup of tea arced through the air.
From being carried out of the crosswalk by some amazing women at the conference to hearing the words “your tibia and fibula are shattered,” the emotions came fast: disbelief, fear, and the naïve hope that being healthy would make recovery straightforward. Instead, I found myself alone, medicated, and needing to make major medical decisions. Those early days were terrifying.
Fast-forward through multiple surgeries, an air ambulance ride, DME, home modifications, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and physical therapy, it has been a journey. And here’s the irony: in 2022, I had more than 20 years in the workers’ compensation industry. I had treated injured workers onsite and in outpatient clinics, managed work comp business across the Southeast, and since 2009 had supported adjusters and case managers with clinical oversight and product management for a large ancillary network.
I knew this system. I had educated thousands. I had represented the industry on stages and in boardrooms. And yet, when I became the injured worker, I learned just how much I didn’t know.
From fear to frustration, the experience opened my eyes to the reality so many injured workers face. If I struggled, someone with deep knowledge, strong support, and industry connections, imagine what the average injured worker is navigating.
What Injured Workers Don’t Know
Most injured workers do exactly what they’re told. No one prepares them for a workrelated injury beyond a poster in the break room and a reminder to report it. There are few resources that clearly explain timelines, approvals, or who makes decisions. Many believe they are passive participants and hesitate to ask questions or challenge something that doesn’t feel right.
In that vacuum, they often turn to friends, family, or coworkers who are wellmeaning, but rarely accurate. Medical jargon and claims language get misinterpreted. Words shape perceptions, and those perceptions can quickly lead to incorrect assumptions about severity or disability. Painfocused communication, especially early on, can sabotage outcomes.
Most injured workers have never heard of psychosocial factors. They don’t know that delays in care can snowball a simple injury into a complex claim. Without confidence to ask medical or claimrelated questions, fear creeps in. The process feels adversarial. And emotionally, the sense of powerlessness takes a toll.
My Own Case Study
My confusion started on day two. I met the attending orthopedic surgeon and was told I had two surgical options. One would keep me in San Antonio until swelling subsided and I was cleared to fly home. The other was a temporary fix to maintain bone length so I could return to Florida and find a surgeon for the definitive repair.
The surgeon didn’t answer questions that would help understand what was best. My husband was stuck in airports across the country due to weather cancellations and unable to be reached for assistance. I called an orthopedic practice in Jacksonville who gave me information I knew to be incorrect. I had 25 minutes to decide. I chose the option that would get me back to Jacksonville, where I had support.
As my recovery continued, there were countless obstacles I could navigate only because of my background and contacts. I was lucky. Most injured workers don’t have that advantage.
What Claims Professionals Can Do Differently
As you guide a newly injured worker through one of the most vulnerable moments of their life, there are meaningful steps you can take to lessen the impact. Empathy is often dismissed as “soft,” but in workers’ compensation, empathy is strategic. It reduces friction, improves outcomes, and builds trust.
1. Proactive Education: During first contact, explain the process in plain language. Outline what to expect in the first 30 days. Clarify the roles of the different stakeholders. Early clarity prevents confusion and fear.
2. Normalize Questions and Participation: Invite questions. Reinforce that understanding the process is not adversarial. Offer examples of helpful questions an injured worker might ask. Empowerment changes everything.
3. Partner With Medical Providers on Communication: Encourage functional, not fearbased, language. Align on recovery expectations and returntofunction goals. Ensure documentation reflects progress, not just symptoms. Words matter, and they influence decisions across the claim.
4. Identify Psychosocial Factors Early: Fear, catastrophizing, job insecurity, and more can derail recovery. Use a biopsychosocial lens, motivational interviewing, and active listening. Connect workers to resources early, and escalate support when needed.
5. Reduce Delays: Fasttrack physical therapy, medication fills, and referrals when appropriate. Avoid unnecessary diagnostics that increase fear, but complete essential ones quickly. Communicate clearly why something is or isn’t approved. Silence breeds anxiety.
6. Humanize Every Interaction: Acknowledge fear and uncertainty. Use language that conveys partnership, not policing. Small gestures such as a followup call, a checkin, or a moment of reassurance can keep a claim on the right path.
The Hidden Friction Workers Face
During my early recovery, I experienced significant friction with my local pharmacy. They refused to accept authorization from the case manager, bounced between billing my group health and workers’ comp, and left me spending hours on the phone when all I wanted was to elevate my leg and rest.
That friction led to some notsonice phone calls, ones I’m not particularly proud of, but I stand by the belief that it shouldn’t have been that hard. And that was just one example. I could list dozens of similar issues, including landmines that, had I not known how to intervene, could have resulted in a far worse outcome.
Most injured workers don’t have the knowledge, confidence, or connections to coursecorrect. They simply endure the consequences.
A Call to the Work Comp Community
We have a tremendous opportunity to shape each recovery journey. When we look past claim numbers and see the individual, outcomes improve. When we communicate clearly, set realistic expectations, and educate early, we reduce fear and build trust.
Words matter. Clarity matters. Empathy matters.
My experience affirmed something I had long believed but had never fully lived: the combination of empathy, knowledge, and clear communication is the foundation of the very best outcomes—for injured workers and for the system as a whole.
