Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

I am a 36 year old Police Officer that was injured in 2007. During an attempt to take a suspect into custody, my partner blew out his knee and I was left to fight alone. I ended up blowing two disks in my neck and having surgery to correct the problems. (It took Work Comp a year to approve my surgery) I now have a titanium plate in my neck with six screws. Iv been told by every Dr. that I can NOT return to work due to my risk is to great of re-injury or possible death. Work Comp Doctors have agreed and placed me on restriction for the rest of my life!
My question is, how long does all of this take to settle with Workers compensation? Work Comp has fought me from the very first day.
I LOVE my job! I teach the 4th and 6th graders Gang Resistance Education, Woman's Personal Safety classes, Police and Children Together Camps in the summer, Sexual Assault Specialist, Hostage Negotiator, National Night Out and read to kids in uniform on my days off! (My children also go to these schools and love it!) I was honored with being Police Officer of the Year for a case I worked that spread through 4 States and recovered over $500,000 worth of stolen property. (They are now in Federal Prison)
I have served my City and its people in every way possible, and I find Im being tossed like yesterdays newspaper!!
Im discouraged, hurt, depressed, sad and ticked off all at the same time!
How can Work Comp make me feel like Im the bad guy in this situation? I cant ever put my uniform back on, and they act like Im in this fight for the money!
I want to know how long can they drag this out? Im ready to be retrained and find another career!

serious injuries can happen to anyone even the good guys.
sounds like you have a totally wrong idea about workers compensation.
lots of false assupmtions and unrealistic expectations.
you need information.
each state has their own comp system. many are designed to pay benefits for life. since settlements are often small and only result in a continuation of smaller weekly disability payments ofter there is no hurry to complete the paperwork.
if you need to seek a new carreer then you should find out if workers comp provides any kind of rehabililitation benefits.
without knowing your state there is little specific information that this board can provide.

W/c can get to all of us. I am going on my 4th year. It is hard to sit and wait, depression from pain, fighting for treatment and being made to feel that it was your choice to get hurt. Read some of the other posts and threads, I hope it will help.

Thank you for serving all of us by being a police officer. My prayers are with you.

(((My question is, how long does all of this take to settle with Workers compensation? Work Comp has fought me from the very first day))).

It all depends, as to how long have you been placed at MMI. In general, settlement offers are not made till MMI, and most attorneys would not try to settle till at the least 1 year past your surgery date. Then the process begins. It seems from what you wrote surgery would have taken place then in 2008? What month, I have no idea. Figure 1 year from that date about. But settlement awards do take time. You didn't state you State, nor did you say if your in process of settlement.