WWW.LETPROHELP.COM SEPT 2010

lh'e PRO PressRegional Information and a Good Mix of Fun

Welcome to PRO, Inc. Wise Words ...Loulslana Brown-RN, CCM-Maryland NCM-Bilingual in SpanishMeg.Blackwood , RN, CCM- North Carolina NOM in WinstoJl S~lem. NCCindy 'Wilde.r:~iRN, CCM-North Carolina NCM in .Lo.U,isbur,g, NO

PRO Upcoming Events

"The difference between ajob and a career is the dif-ference in 40 to 60 hours

per week"

- Robert FrostPRO, Inc. Annual Seminar Noy 4th in Richmond~ VALo~otipn : Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center: more info to follow

MWOeA : Maryland Workers' Compensation .confllrenee ••Sept 19-22nd

Mv Back Hurtsl :WlJatl'-o.l Do?The problem ofl(;)w back pain is prevalent in the USA. It has been estimated that 60 - 80% of Americans suffer from backpain for which they seek medical advice at some point in their lives at a direct & indirect annual cost of greater than $80billi(;)n & 64% of the population over age 30 suffers some level of chronic pain. The good news is that most back pain isnot chronic and it gets better regardless of medical treatment about 90% pf the time.

So if you hurt your back today, you can rest assured that most ofJhe time you are going to get better. Take your pulse &relax a bit, lomorrowwill be better. Back pain which is serious always is either; the result of major trauma which is obvi-ous pr anacul.e~pndition, which may not be related to spac.ifjc siglil,ificant i@jury,which results in fairly obvious objectivephyS'ical.change~k!'lown in the business as "Red Flags"

common "RedlFlags" include potential for fracture (trauma); tumor or ,infection with severe localized pain, history of can-cer, nIght pain, weight loss or fatigue; Cauda Equina syndrome/progressiv,e neurological deficit (i.e. bladder bowel con-trolloss, progressive objective weakness/numbness/sensory loss), Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) or Kidney stones.Even with the red flags only severe fracture, Cauda Equina syndrome and AAA are really emergencies which must bediagnosed and treated swiftly to improve outcomes.

Most back pain is non-specific soft tissue related pain of a mechanical nature. Even herniated discs are not an emer-gency or necessarily treated with surgery. Medical evidence strongly sIJ.ggests that many acute disc herniations heal withconservative nonsurplcal care at least as well as those quickly removed bl{ the surgeon. So take a breath and relax, youare .gOingto .get better.What to °do after ltlne deep breath and reassurance that this too shall pass,

1. Take anen-steroldal anti-inflammatory medication (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) regularly per the bottle for a few days.2. Modify 'your activity (You are not getting any younger!) for a few days, but Do Not stay in bed. Bed rest is not indicated and

makes you weaker, wider and worse quickly. Get out of bed, but don't get into a hurry.3. Don't be afraid to move, you will not break! Fear of injury can make you afraid to move and quickly develop into a fight or

flight reaction which will keep you ill longer.4. Take a muscle relaxer or something that will help you sleep. Sleep deprivation makes your pain worse due to fatigue and

makes you too grumpy to be around.5. Use ice or heat which is self applied at 20 minute intervals to your tolerance.6. Manipulation/mobilization techniques can help acutely to get things moving.7. Remember by age 30, most MRI's/x-rays are not normal and show some degeneration. If you don't have a red flag, you don't

need itlilese films for at least 4-6 weeks of symptoms. Good doctors Meat patients not x-rays. There is no medical evidencethat delaying surgery without red flags worsens your recovery. Hasty aggressive treatment can cause its own problems andcannot 'be reversed.

8. If your symptoms worsen or just are not getting better, GO to Your DOCTOR! Please remember that most back pain studiesreport resolution of symptoms by 6 months. Don't get frustrated by a slow recovery, you just might be a little older or a littlebigger than you used to be. Remember, the sports medicine definition of "Aging Athlete" usually begins around 27 years oldand Life is a Contact Sport!

By now most of you are all better and ready to face the next hurdle. Be careful out there and watch your back.Richard Wilson, Jr. MD, FAAPMR-Ability PM&R, Blacksburg, VA

Twain.s WorldMarketing/Sales News"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your gov-

ernment when it deserves it",As mentioned in the previous page, our annualseminar is Nov 4th. The invitations and agen-das will be mailed out over the next couple ofweeks. We invite current and potential cus-tomers to attend this free information seminar.We will also be providing a free health clinic.PRO Active Wellness is a division of ourcompany that we provide to our clients to helpthem stay healthy.. We will have nurses avail-able to provide blood pressure readings,height, weight...etc ..This year will be even bet-ter than years past!

John David Wright once said, "Business is likejriding a bicycle. Either you keep moving or ~

!you fall down." This statement is true for most \

icompanies especially PRO, Irlc.We IPmvide\.orn-,go,in,gtra1inirng,keep our ,eqUliilpmentarndlsoftware updated and provide service to ourclients that is :real time and ongoing 'on a dailybasis. We understand that it takes more thanjust riding the bike. You have to keep movingforward to be the best case management com-pany in the industry. Thanks to all our clients!

S",jog:Virginia, eastern West Virginia,eastern Tennessee, North Carolina,Maryland, Myrtle Beach South Carolina

PRO, Inc.

Referrals can now be sent to e-mail address:

referrals@letprohelp.com

Chris BooneVP Sales and Marketing Or fax # 540-343-6008

P.O. Box 220, Thaxton, VA 24179

Wellness: Something to think about...Massage the Stress. Away To ,every thing there is a season, ,and a time

to every purpose under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1A good massage can help you relax. More people are turning to a massageas a way of relieving tension associated with the daily stresses of their busylives, or simply to aid in maintaining a good health. Here are some benefitsof a good massage:• Relieves Stress, and encourages relaxation.• Improves joint flexibility and improves circulation.• Decreases anxiety, reduce fatigue, and improve concentration.• Strengthens the immune system, and relieves tension -related head-

aches.• Can provide relief from Sports Injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and fi-

bromyalgia.If you choose to get a massage as a way of pampering yourselfor to help with the daily stresses of your job and/or lifestyle,there is evidence that massage therapy can be a positiveally in your health-care program.

. .. I am doing a great work, so that I cannotcome down...

Nehemiah 6:3

For more information, visit www.Massageenvy.comPage 2

_____ --------'1Attorney's Angle ...

According to the Virginia Supreme Court's recent decision in Ford Motor Company v. Favinger, an employee who is injured whileworking and then returns to a job that pays substantially less than his/her pre-injury job, should continue IQo~ing for a higher pay-ing job if he/she wants to collect lost-wage disability benefits under Virginia's workers' compensation system.

Favinger worked in a body shop before his accident. When he returned to work following a period of disability he was only able towork a light-duty position which did not afford him the same opportunity to work overtime as he did before his accident. As a re-sult, Favinger filed a claim for temporary partial disability compensation for his lost earnings. The Virginia Supreme Court deniedhis claim holding that a claimant who returns back to work earning less than his pre-injury average weekly wage has the burdento prove he at least made a good-faith effort to locate higher paying work within his restrictions.

Following the Favinger decision, disability compensation awards entered by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commissionhave been overturned on appeal. One example is the decision from the Virginia Court of Appeals in John Cluinn, Inc. v. Law-rence Barrv. Barry worked a 40-hour a week job framing houses for John Quinn, Inc. In addition, Barry a,lso worked up to 25hours per week in a part-time job for The Herne Depot. While working his framing job Barry suffered a eempensable right eyeinjury which prevented him from returning to his pre-injury job. As a result, Barry increased the amount of hours he worked forThe Home Depot from 25 to 40 hours per week. Barry filed a claim for temporary partial disability com~l1satipn but did no otherjob searching after beginning to work full time for The Home Depot. He was awarded disability benefits by the Virginia Workers'Compensation Commission. The Court of Appeals reversed the award finding that the Court's ruling in r,avinger at least requiressome evidence of an attempt to find suitable 'alternative or supplemental employment. -

Last Fall, the Virginia Court of Appeals was a9ain called upon to reverse an award of workers' ~o~pens~tifll'! ,~I')efits by the Vir-giDia Workers' Compensation Commission in Plant Partners v. Sheila Pittman. Pittmanwas a ,){ull-iime :rTiler.cl1andiserfor PlantPartners working at least 40 hours per wee~. After injurir:lg her ri,ght hand, P,ittman Iwas unable 10 retlllrJillQ lher'IPr.~injury job. Shebegal'il 'Ioo~ing for alternatiwe employment and received a part-time [ob wo~king 20 hours 'perlW.eek in a [light-duty position for aretail depalitment store. Once she began working part time for tfile department store, Pittman "slOPJ1ledlop~ins for any other em-ployment. lRelying on Favinger in denying th~ claim, the Virginia Court of Appeals fileldltfilatlPittman had 'f~iled to present evi-dence showing that she had attempted to market her residual work capacity beyond the 20"iPlus hours per-week she was thenworking. - - •

The Virginia appellate courts' recent decisions have laid the groundwork neces- Can you guess the year?sary for Virginia employers to defend against future claim~ for lost-wa.ge compen- __ The Godfather Deliverance andsatton when an employee returns to work follOWing an accident but falls to market '.'hislher residual work capacity.' Sleuth are popular movies.

Richard Sperbeck is aparlneratthe law firm of Midkiff, Muncie & Ross, P.C. in Richmond, Vir- -- 22 yr old U.S. Swimming cham-ginia. Mr. Sperbeck concentrates his practice in workers' compensation defense on behalf of • M k S .. 01'

employers and insurance cpmpanies. pion or pltZ WinS seven ymplcGold Medals.

Did You Know? .•

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HART-Hispanic Assistance Resource Team -- The Dallas Cowboys defeat the

Miami to win Super Bowl.

-- Atari introduces Pong.

-- Harry S. Truman and J. Edgar

Hoover die.

-- o;nime, Inc. transmits t,be first

pay cable network, HBO.

-- The Watergate scandal begins

when five men are apprehended by

police in an attempt to bug Democ-

ratic National Committee Headquar-

ters in Washington, D.C.

-- The U.S. Navy begins using F-14 fighter planes.

-- M*A*S*H* premiers on CBS.

+++ first e-mail with correct answer gets$25 gift card from PRO, Inc.

PRO, Inc. introduces a new available service to our clients throughoutthe Mid·Atlantic.

The tremendous growth in the need for Bilingual Services is creating many chal-

lenges for claims handlers. Pro, Inc. has developed its newest service HART -Hispanic Assistance Resource Team. Whether bilingual case management ser-

vices or translation needs for recorded statements, we can provide the right ser-

vice for the right need to create cost effective solutions on challenging claims.

HARTHART is a service from PRO, Inc. that enables us to be able to assist with resolv-

ing Hispanic cases by eliminating the cultural and language barriers, which may

impede progress. Managing Spanish language cases can be difficult when a

claimant speaks SpaniSh only and you are relying on a family member or bilingualcoworker to interpret important details relevant to medical recovery and return towork.

Spanish Language Service ProductsBilingual Telephonic and Field Medical Case Management

Bilingual Vocational Case Management

Recorded Statements

Any communication needed between claims adjuster and claimant

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Professionaleha bi litative--

Options, Inc.PO Box 220, Thaxton, VA 24174

The customer is our reason for being here!

Award Winning Chili Recipe1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped i

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste1 carrot, sliced1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped1/4 cup white wine

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/3 cup bottled steak sauce5 slices bacon

11/2 pounds ground beef1 (1.25 ounce) package chili seasoning mix

1 teaspoon ground cumin1 (15 ounce) can kidnev beans, drained1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine tomatoes, tomato paste, carrot, onion, celery, wine,pepper flakes, bell peppers and steak sauce.

2. While tomato mixture is simmering, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.Removeto paper towels. Cook beef in bacon drippings until brown; drain. Stir chili seasoning into ground beef.

3. Stir seasoned beef, cumin and bacon into tomato mixture. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tenderand flavors are well blended.

4. Stir in beans, cilantro and parsley. Heat through and serve.Yield: 8 servings

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