Little rant here, and alittle long

[Manley2]

Was just reading a post about a doctor blowing off an injuried worker. Now it's not the first story we have all heard about but it just gets my blood boiling every time I heard this stuff. Our government spends millions studying the digging patterns of red ants, ( okay I made that part up) but we spend so much on what I think is really stupid stuff. Why can't we do a study on how delaying treatment on injuried workers can cause further pain and trouble? And this not only injuried worker but anybody that gets a delay in treatment like insurance giving them the run around. I know they have to worry about people that are just wanting to screw the system and make money and people who just think something they read in a book is what is wrong with them. But there are truly times we have a good doctor that needs to do something for us and WC puts a stop to it. And then maybe a year or so later we get it done after a hearing but we all know there are times this not only cause us more pain for a longer time but can do other damage that could have been avoided if we had this done sooner. As injured worker we seem to be at the bottom of the food chain but this sure seems like something our government should care about. I don't have the answer to how we fix the problems of bad people in the system but how long our we going to hurt others in this process? It just seems like money is more important then health these days. Maybe we are just such a small group it's not worth it to others but please God help us.

[Bummer Knees]

Many injured workers live with the delays and denials in treatment and it not only effect the injured worker, but also effect their family.

In many ways my huband and children have paid the price in me not being able to do the things I was able to do before I was injured.

Due to delays & denials it was 31 months after the injury before the knee replacement was approved. The delay lead to problems with the other knee, and back.

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

The fix, give the injured the health care treatment. If it is found to be fraud, give them jail time, and sanction their pay checks to pay it back. Force the sale of their home if needed, but, then the true injured people will not have to worry anymore. It is that simple.

[Still in Limbo]

Manley You have a Very Valid Point, and BX4, Your System would Probably Curb a lot of the Fraud. My Opinion Only, because I'm Living it Right now, is that because w/c is State Controlled, the Federal Gov't. Pays Very Little to what Happens to the Injured Worker, other than Those that are on SSDI, and then they Only Monitor to get back any Monies Owed them. I'm in the State of Pa., where there is not ONE w/c Law, Our System here is a Set of Rules and Regulations, Open to Interpretation by any Individual Judge, and the Appeals Board. So 2 Very Similar Cases Here in Pa. can be Ruled on in 2 Totally Different Ways! The Ins. Co. Wins if they can Destroy the Injured Worker's Credibility, or Starve them Out and the Injured Worker Quits the Battle!! But on the Other Side of the Coin Manely, Approx. 80% of Accepted Injured Workers Claims are handled in an Expedient Manner, and Most Return to Work, so We are just a Part of the 20% that the System Fails. So You do have a Point, We May be on the Bottom Rung, and have to Fight like He**, but it's the Bottom Rung that's the Strongest, because it has to be the Very First Step Up the Ladder!!

[MJC]

Bummer,
You are so correct when you say it effects the family. It has had a terrible effect on my significant other of 22 years. He has traveled down this rode with me since my 10 year old injury. I am not the same person and I definately can't do what I use to do. In saying that, this had also had an effect on him also and he is suffering not from pain but trying to understand all of this and how my life is so different. The other day we were talking and I can't remember what I said but his response was....And I can remember when you weren't hurt to. I guess you could say that sorta hurt my feelings but at the same time I knew he was right because our life has changed. He is as restricted as I am regarding us being able to get out and do things. We use to do so much together outside of the home and now we are at a standstill and have been this way for some time and then with another surgery coming up .....oh well, you know what I mean. Yea.......life is pretty disgusting when you have been like this for 10 years and just continue going downhill. I have been waiting for WC approval for this surgery since January. BadBoy is right, fix the damn person. This has been one of my problems, I have had to wait for treatment so damn long over the years it has my body completely worn down and my family also. It sure does effect the family and too bad they can't get compensation. Lord, I am having a bad day.......just forgive me. Love y'all!

Cajun Hugsssssssssss,
MJC

[Manley2]

Bad boy you are right that would fix it but I don't see that happening in my life time. Nothing is that cut and dry. It kind of goes back to something a state trooper told me once when we were talking about the laws. He said who makes the laws? Well it is the politicians. And who are most politicians? They are lawyers. What will they do if they leave politics but go back to being lawyers. If we don't have loop holes and things like that is the laws we won't need a lawyer. Kind of the same thing with WC, the lawyers are the ones making money and it's all because we don't have the laws we all know we need.

[Manley2]

MJC, we all have bad days. It seemd to me more bad the good. If a person is injured fixing the problem is the only thing to do. Worry and fight about how it happened or where is something we could take our time working out.
Mine is a case were we could argue if delaying treatment hurt me more or not because any time your dealing with nerves it's anybodys guess as to if time cause more problems. It doesn't help being in pain any longer then we have to and it does cause so much more pain to the family as well. And there is no compensation for them in the end for the things they have lost out on. I have a nine year old boy and I've been hurt for almost 4 years now. what has he missed out on with me? And what will he miss out on in the years to come? With the loss on pay I can't even take him places like six flags let alone a nice vacation.

[vickinat]

I agree with all of y'alls posts. I truly believe if they,W/C, would have started me in PM early on after my injury, that I would not have been in the PM Dr's office for the first time 11 months after being hurt. Therefore I feel that I would'nt have been crashed into while waiting for a red light down the street from the PM's office. Of course the W/C used the car accident to thier advantage and claimed that since it made my W/C injuries worse as well as adding many more severe injuries, that when we agreed to the C&R settlement, they gave me a fraction of what I would have gotten. During all the time my mental health was affected by all the hashing and rehashing of details. I ended up being put on meds for the anxiety, the insomnia, my BP was high and so was my pulse, and had to try and explain to the Dr's which body part was due to W/C and which was due to the accident. Thank goodness for my lawyer. It was actually easier and quicker to get things taken care of with the auto ins. and the settlement did'nt take as long. My health ins that I had at the time payed for surgeries and such and were reimbursed from my auto settlement.

I don't have ins. now, but pay for a discount health plan each month. I have applied for SSDI, but am still waiting. At least the discount plan pays part of my Dr's bills and meds. I take 14 differant prescriptions each month and it gets very costly. I wish they would make a federal law that W/C ins.companies can't delay benefits or deny benefits and cause appeals and multiple hearings. They should have to follow a deadline such as 30 days to have the care provided or face penalties. I don't how many times before the auto acc. that a Dr. had told me that this or that should have been done earlier to keep things from worsening.

Sorry for venting, but it truly pisses me off, as I'm having to deal with severe edema in my legs, ankles and feet for the last5 days. I have 4 grandbabies 4yrs. old and younger and can barely pick up the youngest whom is 11 months. I lost the abilty to participate in bowling, darts and so many other things that I enjoyed. I am glad that at least I'm still walking, even though with a cane, I'm not paralized yet.

Take care all, love
Vickie

[Animal04317]

You are all so right! It has affected my family because I cannot do much of anything anymore. My oldest daughter comes to my house 4 times a week to clean and help with whatever I need. I can pretty much forget playing with my younger kids now as well. And my husbands complaint is "I lost both my lover and my fishing buddy."

[Manley2]

My injury was reported the next morning and it still took almost a month to see the company doctor and around 4 or 5 months to see a real doctor. It just gets to me everytime I hear another story of somebody getting delayed in getting the treatment we need. As bad boy said why can't we just get the treatment we need and if they prove it shold not be covered under WC then we should just have to pay for it thru our own health plan or take it out of our wages over time. Because the bottom line is if we are broken we need to be fixed and the time it takes to get better is important