I Swear They Try And Ruin Our Holidays!!

[Still in Limbo]

MJC is having Problems Getting Her Meds., Bummer is Being Low-balled on Their Settlement, and now W/C is coming at Me Again!! SSDI was going to Review My Case, and then after Looking at My Original Medical Charts,(And I Have Deteriorated Since) they decided to not Continue with the Review. Being that I'm 47 now, I will be 51 when the Next Review Period Rolls around, and because the Requirements Change Drastically at the Age of 50 for Approval, I should never be Reviewed again, thus Total Disability from SSDI. I am only Mentioning That because the Last Couple of Days My Attorney has Received a Letter from a Vocational Rehab. Firm wanting to do a Work-Up on Me, and also a Job Offer doing Either Uniformed Security Officer, and/or Plain Closed Surveillance!! Neither of these Jobs have Come from My Employer, I believe They are in Serious Financial Trouble from what I can Gather, and the Defense Attorney that They were Using is not the Person Relaying My Attorney This Correspondence, it's coming Straight from the Ins. Co.!! I Would Love Nothing More than to go Back to Work, but it's just Plain and Simple I can't, and They know that!!!! This is All a Ploy that Hopefully My Attorney or I will Make a Mistake while Handling These Offers, and then They will be able to Start the 500 Week Clock on Me, and Damaging My Cases Value!! I am Still going to the Commonwealth Court to Fight, as soon as I get My Appeal Confirmed, and My battle will Continue!! I just can't See where a Person in a Situation such as Myself, that doesn't have Adequate Counsel, could be Very Easily Pushed into trying that Job, and Possibly Hurting Themselves Further!! All over Money that the Ins. Co. should be Paying a Totally Disabled 47 Year Old, that has been Enduring the Pain I have since I was 42!! Thank God I have a Great Attorney and We are Coming back at Them Strong, so I won't Probably even have to go to the Interview, but I've about had it with the Stress They Constantly Throw at the Seriously Hurt, such as Myself, MJC, Bummer, and so Many Others Here that Deserve a bit More Respect, and a Little Less Stress and Harassment!!! Thanks for the Vent!!

[sweet tooth]

yes still i agree with you completely they are going to do all they can do ,i dont see how they sleep at night doing people like they do.i wasnt done right but the lawyer was not the best so as i have found out to late but im thankful for what i did get i still dream about being back at work and always i awake hurting because i have been trying to stand on my own even in our sleep we cant do what we used to , but the sunny side is i can walk better than i could 4 yrs ago even if it is assisted still so i have to tighten up and go on love all sweets

[Cycler]

Limbo,
Just another set of examples of how broken the WC system is nationally and don't think for a minute that the other side isn't under significant stress also. The concept of a no fault injury care and wage replacement construct for injures in the workplace seems to have run into the same problems as the health care industry in general in that the costs far exceed the ability of anyone to pay for them. That coupled with the misguided notion that this no fault system is neutral in the face of an aging workforce where life style choices and just plain poor protoplasm, i.e. genetic predisposition to deterioration, become work place injuries is as grossly unfair to employers as is the costs they face in paying for what is too often nonsensical and certainly not in their best interest to do so.

For instance Cook COunty (taxpayers) will now write a check for $14,000.00 to a custodian who claims she twice injured her back while reaching around to get a piece of toilet paper.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/18...19.article

No Fault ? Yeah, like they say : it's all fun and games till someone starts bleeding and the employer base is bleeding in expenses for "no fault " claims real, imagined and wishful thinking. And then the injuries seem to just multiply while sitting home.

Find fault where you may but the bottom line is that the whole idea has outlived it's usefullness since insurance industry data suggests that US employers have done a good job of reducing work place hazards resulting in a steady decrease in workplace injuries while the "severity" of cases and costs continues to climb. That means these cases are NOT work place injures at all but the logical consequences of life style choices and an aging workforce. If you were an employer you would be pulling your hair out too.

(This is not to say that there are not abuses on all sides, including medical )

JUst my opinion as an interested observer and frequenter of Insurance Bulletin Boards and Forums in addition to patient oriented sites. The writings of Peter Rousmaniere are particularly good reading of national and international trends and issues in the industry and his recent column on the above issue is telling.

http://www.riskandinsurance.com/story.js...=278941320

It's not my intention to be argumentative Limbo and I think the behavior of the other side in your case is clearly reprehensible. The ssues are symptomatic of a much larger problem in the US

[backache]

You have to be kidding!!!!!!!!. I know you will take this the way I mean it Hun. I have been around you and have seen your pain. You may be able to do surviellance if they put a hospital bed in a morgue and you only had to watch dead people an hour or two a day. This way you wouldn't have to do anything, even walk, because you have such trouble getting around, which I have personally witnessed. Maybe they could give you the night shift, since you are up most of the night in terrible pain, maybe they figure this would give you something to do. Of course I am being sarcastic towards the ins. co. not you. What the heck, don't these people actually look at you when you go to court???????????? I am only a nurse, but at times it makes me cringe to see the pain you are in....I just can't believe these idiots are trying to get out of paying you what is rightfully owed to you. Again please don't take offense Hun my sarcasim isn't against you it is against these horrible people. If I had ahold of them I would slap them up along the back of their heads for being stupid.

[capricorn]

Oh Limbo...another shot in the arm.....

SHortly before my husband settled, and I should explain that he went through all the VR , I did not. The other side had found 5 ridiculous jobs for him. He applied for none at his attorney 's doing. His attorney called his own VR expert in and at thenext court date it was brought up why he hadn't applied for the security job imparticular. This seems to be a big one they find for men. Bill sat there , looked at the judge and said "your honor, I can't protect myself or my family anymore, let alone others" That was it. The Judge put a stop to it, decided in his favor for the 50th time and he won all of his backpay and case shortly after that. It's another of their games intended to upset you. And yes I agree, they send everything on a Friday or around holidays. Hang in there my friend...keep strong....vent whenever you need to....and know that we're all here for you.

[Bummer Knees]

I believe the insurance companys do their best to add stress to our lives in hopes that we will break.

I cope daily with the nerve pain/ burning & stabbing pain from the back injury.

Still my pain is very minor compare to yours and there is no way I could work as a Security Guard or do Closed Surveillance. I simply can not be on my feet for any length of time.

My mother raised me to be strong and to stand up for myself. Tomorrow I will call the attorney with a message to the adjuster to "Button up their shirt" and I will be in court on the 17th.

[Cycler]

Well, Bummer, that's true in some cases, the Starve them out " play.

[Still in Limbo]

Thanks, Sweets, Backache, Cap., Bummer, and Backache I Understand Your Anger, and I have seen the Pain in Your Face also!! This is Totally Ridiculous in My Situation and Case, but I will do what I have to and try and Deal with it and not let My Family See My Anger or Disgust!!

Cycler, I Totally Understand what You are Saying about the Employer, and what They have to Endure with Falsified Claims, and so You can Better Understand My Position, I did Own My Own Business for 5 Years, so I have been on Both Sides of the Table, just as Backaches Husband Dave has! I am not taking what You say as Argumentative, and I was 42 when Injured, and the Industry Overall, and Possibly even You, would Consider at a Glance that My Age and Deterioration of My Spine due to Common Life Situations could be a Large Point of My Injury, and Me Setting at Home for the Last 5 Years has only Caused My Injury to Deteriorate even More. But Everyone has a Story of Their Injury, and Maybe You haven't had a Chance to Read Mine, so I'll give You the Shortened Version:

I was a Class A Tractor Trailer/Household Mover for the Largest Moving Chain in the World. In a little Less than a Year, I gained V.I.P. Moving Status, meaning I Moved Corporate Heads, Secret Service Agents, Major Sports Figures etc., I'm Sure You get the Picture. My Crew was One of the Best at Our Warehouse, Hand Picked by Me, with My Son Heading up the Crew. I was Called in after a Move of a Family from Ft. Wayne Indiana to Richmond Va. to Assist another Crew in a Move that needed a lot of Special Care. The Other Crew was the Best Class B Truck Crew, and it was Moving Computer Memory Management Blade Storage Racks, and the Main Frame for the System into a Building. We had a Total of Approx. 75 Blade Cabinets, and One Main Frame, approx. 450lbs., and worth $250,000.00. City Ordinance only allowed a 7' tall Door, and these Pieces were approx. 7'6" and they went into the Bottom of the Building, down a 30 Degree Drop Sidewalk, with the Building on One Side.and a Retaining Wall on the Other, with Just enough Room for Our Guys to Stand on the Sides, and I Mean just Barely!! We had to Lower these Pieces onto a Cart, and take them in on Their Backs, and they had to be Layed down onto the Sidewalk, because the Parking Lot was Very Decayed, and Very Hilly. Bringing the Main Frame down, (450lbs.) I had My Son and another Boy, (The 2 Strongest) in the Rear so when it Kicked Out as it Tipped They could hold it until the Guys in the Side could Lower it onto the Cart, and I was the Safety Man, standing on the Sidewalk, (My Feet on a 30 Degree Angle) to Help in Case it got too Heavy coming down. The Boy to the Left of Me, in a Mega-Second Slipped, His Back was against the Retaining Wall, and His Legs were Laying under this Piece of Falling Equip., and had it Fell, it would have Severed this Boy's Legs at the Mid-Thigh! I would have to Say the Good Lord was Behind Me, because I caught this Falling Piece of Equip. Mid-Air, and Held it until My Son could Help the Other boy Hold it until the Fallen Boy could get out from Under it. Now You can Imagine with My Feet at a 30 Degree Angle, catching 450lbs. of Falling Equip., would put the Fulcrum of the Pressure and Weight Directly on My L5/S1 Area!! After having to Literally Crawl for 4 Days until a w/c Dr. could See Me, and One Month of Pt. until I could even Lay for an MRI, I had a Microdiscectomy/Laminectomy, a Crushed Right S1 Nerve Root was Found, and Fast Forward to Scar Tissue Filling where They Removed the Half of My Disc, attaching to the S1 Nerve, and Totally Encapsulating the S1 Crushed Nerve Root!! 2 1/2 Years of Hearings, (15 Total) of which I Won 14 1/2 of, My Dr. and I are the Credible Parties, a job was Offered from My Employer 4 Hours per Day, 5 Days a Week, Answering Phones and Copying Files, with a Headset for Answering a Phone, and a Brand New Leather Couch next to the Desk for Me to Lay as Needed. The Judge was Invited to See the Workplace, which They Accepted, and Traveled to the Workplace to Inspect My Job Offer, Environment, and Duties. In the Judges 52 Page Decision, it was Ruled that I could "NOT PERFORM THE JOB OFFERED ME DUE TO MY INJURIES!!":rolleyes: 10 Second Opinions that I fought for so I could get Fixed and Back to Work, Both Ortho. and Neuro. told Me that I was Inoperable, and 2 PM Dr.'s, (Mine, and They even sent Me for a 2nd Opinion on the Care I was Receiving to another PM Dr.) for Injections, and the Last Surgeon I saw was the Re-Surgery Back Specialist for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He Looked at My MRI's for about 30 Seconds, told Me to get back to My PCP, and get to a PM Dr. to Make Me as Comfortable as Possible, Surgery is Out of the Question. The Judge watched Me Deteriorate during the 15 Hearings, of which I was Brutally Cross-Examined 12 Times, and I Won the Appeal, and Now am awaiting the Appellate Judges to Close the Appeal so I can take the Wage Issue to the Commonwealth Court, where I stand a Very good chance of Winning $200.00 per Week of Back Wages being Improperly Paid for the Past 5 Years!! Yes Cycler, there is Fraud, and Those People should be Imprisoned, but does it sound like I have Tried not to Return to Work, do You See where They can Say I am not Injured, My Condition is Well Documented of Deteriorating, not getting Better, so in My Instance, not the Industry's Standards or Problems, should I be Treated the Way I've Been? I'm no Hero, but I'm no Bum not trying to Work Either, 21 Pills a Day and a Cane to Walk, I Sleep in a Hospital Bed in My Den, and My Poor Wife has had to watch Her Partner turn from a Vibrant Hard Working Man into a Bundle of Pain so Bad She has to Watch Me Cry!! That's the Short Version, I would be Happy to Elaborate on any Issue that You may be Unsure about, but You have to Understand, I Understand what the Industry has to Deal with when it Comes to w/c, but Look what I have to Deal with, as an Individual, Seriously Injured Worker!!

[backache]

Still, You should hear Dave. He actually swore, (not real bad words), but you know he isn't as mouthy as I am, not by a long shot. He can't believe they are trying to send you back to work. He says "when you look at this man, who was so incredibally powerful at one time, and now you look at a face full of pain, no matter how hard he tries to hide it, anyone should know that he should be compensated for what his injury has done to him." Dave may not be in the medical field, but he is a good judge of caracter. He also knows pain when he sees it and there is no doubt in either of our minds that you are in constant pain. We think they should have to pay you what you would have earned working from the time of your injury until you could retire.....and not one penny less......

[Cycler]

Limbo,

Certainly nothing directed at you but only pointing out that your criminal mistreatment and abuse are symptomatic of a completely broken system where the incentives are misplaced. It needs to go away