Before You Do Anything Else

  • Don't call just to "talk it through" with no notes.
  • Don't agree to anything on the phone you don't understand.
  • Don't send a rage email you can't walk back.

Do this first:

  1. Save a copy of whatever they sent (photo, screenshot, PDF).
  2. Write the date, what they decided, and how it hits you (lost income, treatment, job).
  3. Take 10 minutes on this site to figure out what kind of bullshit it is – ignored evidence, contradictory decisions, retaliation, "our records show," etc.

You're not overreacting. You're buying yourself time to respond with strategy, not just pain.

Why People Stay Silent

Silence is rational. It's also exactly what the system counts on.

The System is Designed to Exhaust You

Letters are full of: Half-explanations, Policy references with no context, 'If you disagree, you may request...' with 3 different pathways in tiny print. When you're confused enough, silence feels easier than: Admitting you don't understand, Taking a wrong step and being told 'you should have done X instead'

You Get Trained to Think You're the Problem

When professionals with titles treat you like you're unreasonable, you start to self-censor. You start to think: maybe I AM making too big a deal, maybe this IS how it's supposed to go. It's not.

They Count on You Not Asking

If you don't ask for: What evidence they relied on, Why they preferred one medical opinion over another, What the actual plan is for your return to work, They get to make decisions in the dark.