A box fell out of the truck onto my left shoulder about 2 months ago while I was checking out at the gate, to go on my run. It left a nice bruise for a week or so, but didn't seem like anything was broken, so I didn't report it.
Of course, NOW, it is getting sore, and hurts when I move my arm into certain positions. The pain didn't start until about 2 weeks after it got hit.
Someone told me I should report it as an on the job injury since then I won't have to pay any deductible or copay if and when I go to the doctor for it.
But I'm paranoid to report it and even to go to the doc about it since then it will be on my record that I was "injured on the job".
When I applied for truck driving jobs, a lot of the applications asked if you ever had been injured on the job, had ever collected workmen's comp.
Hence my paranoia. Applying for future driving jobs, I'd have this injury on my record, and some companies might refuse to hire me !!!!
What would you guys do? The shoulder is usable. I've neen exercising it, but the exercise just makes it more sore !! Fortunately the way it is now, it doesn't affect my job at all. I do drop and hook, no loading/unloading. Maybe if I just leave it alone, it'll get better !