It's possible to tear a few fibers without any blood getting to the skin as a visible bruise. Were it me, I wouldn't have done the full 2 week rehab....
He doesn't need to "vet" a welder, because a guy with a welding truck who cuts and welds all day for a living is capable of any simple job, like this...
The fact that you squat barefoot and have not had any problems so far does not mean that squatting without shoes is better than squatting with squat...