Worker Comp Claim possible ?

Question from Illinois - I am having some numbness in my shoulder, arm and hand, not to the point that I cant use it at all, but limited - I am scheduled for an MRI tomorrow nite and then a doctor - probably a neurosurgeon if my family doctor feelings on my history of back problems is correct.

I asked for many many times ovr the past 2 years since I started having pain in my neck to have an ergonomics person come and all of the requests were met with silence - so now the intense pain is gone but my workstation - I beleive - has aggravated the neck to the point of the numbness.

I dont know which way to turn here - I just found out from a friend of mine who had to have carpal tunnel surgery that the company only allowed her ONE day off to recuperate - due to it being a workmens comp claim, yet anothr employee with the same surgery was allowed to take the standard 6 weeks off to recoup - we all type to do our jobs - and the second gal did hers without a workers comp claim. I dont understand how a major company can completely ignore the doctors recommendation for needed time off to heal and instead tell the doctor how long to keep the girl off for one day instead of his recomended 3 - 5 weeks? Is this due to the WC claim being filed? Can an employer terminate someone that puts a WC claim in ? That threat has been made to several other employees and also happened to two of my friends - they had surgery and as soon as the doctor determined it was due to unsafe work practices, they were both suddenly denied the doctors excuse as not being valid and they were let go after 25 - 30 years with the company.
If this turns out to be related to work and my workspace not being evaluated as others workstations had been upon asking, what do I do ? Risk further damage by letting the company dictate to the doctor how long to let me stay off to recoup or just do it as a regular medical condition and forget about it ? I am sick of thre companies attitude about injuries in the workplace and valid needs of some employees. I told them time and time again that I had degenerative back problems that had to have one surgery before in 91 and I told them that I needed the provided ergonomics team to come and help me setup my workstation to prevent further damage to my back or anything else.


Do WC claims have different limits of time off for recuperation? If I did file a WC claim can they force me to come back to work when the doctor tells them I cant? Should I just get a lawyer now and start the process or at least get some suggestions on hw to proceed? Once I tell the doctor that I think this is due to my work station not being set up right and if he concurs, then my healt insurance wont pay for anything and my bills will be at the mercy of the WC claim.

I just dont know what to do at this point or what is legal.