worker comp. advise

1mikej

Well-Known Member
:confused: i know this is not really the place for this but i have to try.
i am a painter in a bodyshop for 25 years. i was asked to buff my boss's.. boss's 40ft boat after work. (the owner of dealerships boat) i hurt my back doing it. told my boss the next morning when he called me to tell me i did not finish job it looks like shit. i was at work till 9:30 that night. it happened friday night july 30th and could not go any further. i had weekend off and that monday. tuesday was dead 1/2 day. wedsday he sends me down to a building he wants to make into a new bodyshop. the building is owned by the dealership i work for. it has been for 30 years and thats how long it been unused. it became the dealerships dirty closet out back. it was full of old shop equipment and oil soaked speedy dry. he tells me get it cleaned out. i tell him i'm a little sore from the boat job i think i need to wait till after the weekend. wanted a chance to heal up some. he said now!. i made it till 4:30 when i tried to lift a tipped over metal table back onto it's wheels. i felt some go in my back. doctors say 2 bullging dics in lower 1 in the middle. 1 of lower is slightly hurniated. was on light duty at since, but today was sent home indefinatly. whats happens now? lawyer? how long will i get paid to sit here? i really cant do my job. i can hardly dress myself. advise please:confused:
 

rambler420

Well-Known Member
First off - you did report it to your boss, right? As an employer, they are to advise you of which doctors to visit. They should have a list of providers to visit. You need to go to the doc right away and tell your doctor's office it's workers comp. You shouldn't have to pay anything out of pocket. Make sure you have documented everything. A written report of what happened should be delivered to your supervisor asap and get something from the doctor detailing the extent of the injury and any work restrictions.
 

1mikej

Well-Known Member
yes i reported it. on the next day and was sent to doctors. the doc said light duty work. no bending stairs prolonged sitting or standing , no lifting more than 10lbs ect. all ducments sighned and delivered. i paid for nothing not even all the meds. i was anserwing phones until today. now i am home.
 

ink the world

Well-Known Member
I spent 2 years on comp after seriously injuring myself...If you were:

1. Hurt while on the clock
2. Unable to do your job or the company cant/wont provide you with light duty work
3. Reported the injury within 24 hours

You should be all set. Every state has different workers comp. laws and guidelines. I got 70% of my salary while I was out of work. At one point after 3 surgeries and 20 months of 5 day a week PT my bill was over $700,00. I had to fight for EVERY single penny of coverage real fast. After 3 months they started denying payment for everything, doc visits, PT, any claim.....I spent at least an hour a day on the phone w/ the insurance company and all the medical bills. They even had an investigator follow me for about a month. Even after me bringing him out a cup of coffee to let him know i knew who/what he was, he still followed me everywhere.

I had to attend a hearing w/ the state board because they even stopped paying me, while I had a cast from my shoulder to wrist w/ 14 screws and 2 rods in my arm. The state found in my favor and assigned an "advocate" to my case. She helped me w/ everything from dealing with the insurance company (i longer even talked to them, she did) to helping me get back into school to train for a new job.

Know this man, the insurance company makes their money by denying claims and paying out as little as possible, they will eventually fight you.....take care of yourself, they will not. Best of luck
 

Kash Krop

Well-Known Member
Get a lawyer that knows comp law in your state.Keep track of all milage to & from all Dr. & therapy apps.,they have to comp you for that too,so much for every mile you travel,the exact amount may vary from state to state,your lawyer will know.Save every recipt for meds precribed by your Dr. they have to re-emburse you for that too.You have the right to go to a Dr. of your choice but your employer has the right to send you to a Dr. of thier choosing for a second opinion,if you refuse to go,comp terminated.Save up every penny you can now,if they try to force you back to full duty, against your Dr.'s reccomendation,cutting off your comp. & starving you out is the most used method.If the case drags on for too long Ins.Co. will use private investigators to watch,follow & film you doing things you claim not to be able to do & will use these in court so,don't be stupid.If you have to go to interviews with thier lawers & Ins. people be aware that somtimes they tape these without telling you & use them in court to beat the case,they get around wiretapping & other laws by claiming that they only taped the conversation for transcriptual puposes & did'nt have to inform you at the time that you were being recorded.They have done this to me & got away with it but,it did'nt help them in my case.
Good luck,get well,
Kash
 
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