Workers Comp Help
Mail Sorter Injured While Working For USPS
My name is Jane Shepard and I am a former United States Marine and a 13 year employee of the Lakewood NJ Post Office. I sorted parcels at the post office, on November 17th 1999 I was asked by the mail handler to help him push in a BMC (a large container they ship mail in, it is 275lb empty) for me to sort, I just thought it was heavy and he needed a hand with it.
After I sorted all the parcels inside I started to push it and it was rolling fine, as I was pushing it through the double doors to the loading dock it stopped dead and both my arms were hyper extended behind my back. I was immediately in pain.
They had a supervisor take me to the hospital where I was treated by the employee comp doctor for 2 weeks until he referred me to an orthopedic doctor. I went to see him on dec 6th 1999, he saw me for a total of 10 minutes and treated me awfully and sent me back to work the next day on a 8hr light duty. I called the comp office in Kilmer Post Office, I told her how horribly I was treated I was crying in pain, she told me once I saw a doctor I was stuck with him. So I went to him again and he gave me a cortisone shot, well that just disguised the problem.
I went to see him 1 more time because the pain was so bad I knew something was wrong. Well he refused to see me saying that the dept of labor did not pay for my shot so he refused me treatment. I went for 5 months with no medical attention and I was sorting parcels 1 handed leaving everyday in pain.
I went to Congressman Saxton's office and he was able to get the doctor changed to my choice of orthopedics. He did my 2nd MRI and found that my rotator cuff was torn and I had stretched out the socket and bone spurs had formed. I worked until the surgery was approved and I was operated on Sept 2000, I went to therapy 3x a week did everything I was told to do but I was still in really bad pain. The Post Office pressured my Doctor into sending me back to work before xmas. I went back for 4 hours a day stamping return to sender mail, and I would leave early using all
I waited 6 months for a hearing, I went to Philadelphia on Nov 15th 2001, and I just heard the decision of denial last week. I played by their rules did everything they wanted provided medical documentation and they bases their decision on a WC paid doctor who saw me for 10 minutes and had me close my eyes and he poked me with a paperclip! They took his word over Dr. Getson who is an expert on RSD. He wants to put me in the hospital for 5 days of block but I can't have it because I have no insurance.
How can the federal government turn their back on me I served my country and I worked really hard at my job. They even gave me a letter of warning for getting hurt and a broken piece of equipment. I was just doing my job! I also have a sick son who needs 300. a month in meds my husband can't work extra because I can't take care of my family anymore. We are so broke I cannot pay my bills we are in danger of loosing our house. I have been a contributor to society and that was taken away from me and I am not going to stand by and let this happen. I am going PUBLIC NOT POSTAL, with my story in hopes to expose the Department of Labor for being cruel and unjust.
Thanks for reading my story.
Jane