Injured on the Job in
North County?

In Missouri, the employer and its workers' compensation insurer generally have the right to direct authorized medical care — which usually means treatment is arranged through a provider they select. How that applies to your specific claim depends on its posture, whether the claim has been accepted or denied, and other facts this office is not in a position to assess. That is a question for a Missouri workers' compensation attorney, not a medical practice.

What Dr. Shekhani can tell you: he evaluates and treats work injury patients whose care is authorized to him, and he performs independent evaluations requested by employers, insurers, attorneys, and patients. Call (314) 733-5140 and the staff will explain what is possible given where your claim stands.

Musculoskeletal and nerve injuries arising out of work — lifting and back injuries, neck and spine injury, shoulder and knee injury, crush and impact injuries, and repetitive strain conditions including carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve compression. The common thread is that these injuries involve muscles, joints, spine, and nerves, and they often require objective testing to characterize accurately rather than relying on reported symptoms alone.

Dr. Shekhani performs independent medical examinations for work injury matters. An IME is an objective physician evaluation of the nature and extent of an injury, requested by an employer, an insurer, an attorney, or a patient.

One thing to understand clearly: an independent evaluation is independent. Dr. Shekhani documents what the examination and testing actually show, whichever party requested the evaluation and whichever direction the findings point. He does not evaluate to a predetermined conclusion, and no one should expect a particular result. Whether an IME makes sense in your situation is worth discussing with your attorney if you have one.

Work injury claims frequently turn on objective findings, which makes the testing choice consequential. If there is numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain radiating into an arm or leg, an EMG and nerve conduction study measures nerve function directly and can identify whether a nerve is compressed or damaged, and where — this is the standard test for suspected carpal tunnel syndrome and radiculopathy. For tendon, ligament, muscle, and joint injury, diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound images those structures in real time, including while the joint moves. MRI or CT may be indicated for suspected disc or structural injury. Testing is ordered to answer a specific clinical question, not routinely.

Persistent symptoms after a work injury are worth a careful look, particularly when the original workup relied primarily on examination and imaging without electrodiagnostic testing. Nerve injury in particular can be present when an X-ray or MRI reads as unremarkable, and it is identifiable on EMG and nerve conduction study.

That said, an evaluation is an evaluation. Dr. Shekhani will document what the testing shows, which may confirm, refine, or not support a prior opinion. If you are represented, discuss with your attorney whether and how an independent evaluation fits your claim before scheduling.

That is your decision, and it is a legal question rather than a medical one. This practice does not give legal advice and does not recommend specific firms. Dr. Shekhani evaluates and treats work injury patients who are represented and patients who are not, and the medical care and documentation are the same either way.

Repetitive strain and cumulative trauma injuries are common in physical work — carpal tunnel syndrome from repeated gripping and vibration, tendon injury from overhead or repetitive motion, and back conditions from sustained lifting. They develop gradually rather than on a single identifiable date, which makes objective documentation especially important, since there is no incident report or emergency room record to anchor the medical file.

Whether a gradual-onset condition is compensable under Missouri workers' compensation is a legal determination that depends on the facts of your employment and claim. What Dr. Shekhani provides is the medical side: evaluation, electrodiagnostic testing where indicated, and thorough documentation of the findings. Call (314) 733-5140.