IM NEW AT THIS SO HERE GOES.I WAS INJURED AT WORK IN 07/2006 .IM FROM CALIFORNIA AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN HURT BEFORE.I WENT HEAD FIRST INTO A WALL AND GOT A BUMP ON MY HEAD-NO BIG DEAL.IT-THE PAIN GOT WORSE SO I WENT TO E.R.THEY SAID JUST A BRUISE.KEPT WORKING -PAIN GETTING WORSE FINALLY WENT TO A COUNTY NEURO.PUT IN NECK BRACE PHYSICAL THERAPY NOTHING HELPED.WENT AND HAD AN EPIDURAL- NOTHING.SECOND EPIDURAL DR.OVERDOSED ME ON FETENAL,I SURVIVED DID NOT GO BACK FOR THE THIRD ONE OF THE SERIES.EXTREME PAIN WENT TO ORTHO DR. AFTER MANY X-RAYS MRI ECT.HAD A DISCOGRAM DONE AND GOT TWO ABSESSES IN NECK ON SPINE.[STAFF INFECTION].ALSO FOUND OUT I HAD A BROKEN NECK.HAD SURGERY 3-DISC REPLACED,FUSION AND A PLATE IN MY NECK.WENT HOME WITH A PICK LINE IN MY ARM BECAUSE WORKERS COMP SAID MY WIFE HAD TO GIVE ME I.V.ANTIBIOTICS EVERY 12 HRS FOR 8 WEEKS.STARTED P.T.DR.ORDERED 12 TO 16 WEEKS TO REGAIN SOME MOBILITY.SEVERAL DR. AND THE SURGERON SAID THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE NECK BRACE FOR THE 1-YEAR BEFORE SURGERY.WAY TO MUCH P.T BEFORE SURGERY.SO AFTER THE OPERATION WORKERS COMP KEPT DELAYING THERAPY.THEY SAID I WAS ALLOTTED X-AMOUNT OF THEM.PRIOR TO THE SURGERY I WAS LISTENING TO CASE MGR.BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN HURT.ABOUT EVERY THREE WEEKS THEY SAID NO MORE P.T.3-DR.S AND THE ORTHO TOLD WORKERS COMP THE P.T. AFTER SURGERY WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT AGAIN AND WORKERS COMP. KEPT DELAYING EVERY THREE WEEKS.BEEN TO PAIN MANAGEMENT -PAIN BLOCKS ,EPIDURALS ECT.FINALLY WENT TO NEW PAIN DR. STARTED SUBUXONE SO FAR SO GOOD.I TRIED TO GO BACK LIGHT DUTY -COUNTY SAID NO.THE COUNTY HAS DELAYED STUFF SO MUCH IM BROKE FAMILY IN DISTRESS VERG OF LOSING HOME NOONE CARES.CANT FIND ANY HELP OUT THERE SO PLEEEESE IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT I CAN DO OR WHERE I CAN GO TO GET HELP PLEASE RESPOND.THE INJURY WAS 2 1/2 YEARS AGO THE SURGERY WAS 1-YEAR AGO AND IM GOING INSANE.MY FAMILY IS SUFFERING TREMENDOUSLY AND ITS NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHAT CAN I DO?????????MY FAMILY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF I PASSED AWAY WHEN I HAD THE STAFF AT LEAST LIFE INSURANCE WOULD HAVE HELPED THEM .IF ANYONE CAN HELP OR OFFER SUGGESTIONS PLEASE DO IM IN DIRE NEED THANKYOU AND GOD BLESS.
welcome to our world,sucks doesnt it? Do you have a lawyer?ask your wife I bet with all the hell she would rather have you than your insurance anyday.....Have you signed up for SSDI yet?so many questions....Calif has very different laws than some....chris chris and Monster are both from Calif and we have a few others that will stop in and try to help......keep calm.....
If you need housing assist or help with utilities contact your local United Way.
You can Google United Way for your area.
A web site is available and you can do a search to find the agencys that may help you.
Or you can call your local Unted Way, a person in the office should be able to assist you.
You may qualify for CalPERS Disability. The benefits are easier to get if you are in law enforcement.
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkjlXB35JFF...ooklet.pdf
Also, talk directly to someone at calpers.com to tell them your story. They may know of other benefits I am not aware of.
If you don't have an attorney, you need one. Call around and talk to several before you make your decision. Not all Applicant Attorneys are created equal. Your Union may be able to guide you through some of the legal process.
You can also ask your employer to file CalPers disability retirement on your behalf. That cuts time out of the process.
Have you applied for SSDI? Many W/C attorneys also help their clients with SSDI.
I hope things start getting better for you. WC is the pits, and it seems to me that once you are in the system, the system works against you and keeps you there, rather than get you the medical care you need to get well and move on. Just my opinion.
P.S. CalPERS disability/industrial retirement may or may not be for life. It depends on your situation, but is a safety net if needed.
Thanks for the right url bbbb. So many members couldn't find the site that it is also under calpers.com
thanks for the replys i will try some new avenews!
Also, if w/c is not paying for your meds, most pharmaceutical cos. offer their meds for free or on a sliding scale basis. Most Primary care Drs. have the paper work or you can go through
http://www.pparx.org, needymeds.org, and
http://www.rxassist.org.
Also look into free clinics. I have found that our county has clinic that are on sliding scale basis and meds. are anywhere from 2.00-10.00 each.
I have also found that there are many churches that have programs set up to help people who are having a hard time. You usually don't need to even be a member of their church...they want to reach out to their community and help people. I remember when I was in my darkest hrs. and I just started stopping by churches that were close to where I lived and asked to speak with the pastor or their counseling team. Once I explain to them what my particular situation was, they were more than happy to find some help for me and my family.
You can also call you department of social services and see if they have programs for families with a disabled parent. You may qualify for food stamps, energy bills being paid, even loans with no interest on them. I know from 1st hand, if you have never had to use social services, you may feel like its not for you...I have learned though, that it is exactly for people like us. People who have been working and paying our taxes and now are falling on hard times. Our taxes go to pay for the county/state programs, so we might as well take advantage of the services that are open to us, when we most need it.
I wish you the very best,
LF
need money/grants/food or home help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So sorry for what you are going thru so many here have been down that road...many lose everything and we never hear from them again..Have you family that can help and does your wife work?Have you talked to co workers that may be able to do a fund raiser or donate their sick time to you...What does your lawyer say? have you been to the SS office with an emergency applacation? Hell go to your local paper or TV station let them know see if they can help sometimes a bit of air time brings your plight to the right people... here we have a program called 5 on your side Channel 5 being a local station.......stop a min and think....if it wasnt you if it was a neighbor when would you go to get him help....sometimes taking YOU and your pride out of the equation helps to find the right places...