Workers Comp Help
Hand and Wrist Work Injury Causing RSD
Another "Injured Worker" being screwed by the "Failing System"!
My name is Susan, I'm 36 years old and have been out of work for nearly 4 years due to a work injury and inadequate medical care causing my injury to be permanent disability, I suffer from RSDS........a disorder that affects people in many different ways and many different levels.
According to my doctor, my case is one of the most severe cases he's seen in over 25 years. I've lost the total use of my left upper extremitity, from my hand, all the way up to my neck, maybe I'm selfish, I do have use of my legs and right hand/arm, but it's easier said then done, All of my days consist of the most extreme pain that you can imagine, there's some days better then others, but not many and if it wasn't for my sister taking care of me and my needs, I don't know where I'd be.
But what upsets me the most is it seems no one gives a damm or has the guts to expose what these insurance companies are doing to thousands of people across the country and Florida being the second worst state in work comp claims and I reside in Florida.
Maybe I'm feeling sorry for myself but it's hard when you can't work and support yourself, Currently, I'm trying to take online classes to at least educate myself further, but I've hit a bump in the road, all I have is MSNTV or previously called WEBTV Plus and not a computer, so I don't have downloading capabilities.
AS I come to you, I'm pleading for your help for myself and the other injured workers who are in despite need for help, I realize this email is long in length, but I've deleted it as much as I could, I just hope someone out there will be able to help use.
The elections are OVER, NEW PEOPLE ARE IN PLACE, When is THE FLORIDA GOVERNMENT going to finally do something for the "INJURED WORKERS""? How much longer do we have to endure the constant pain and red tape? I don't blame the Judges, they are also caught in the middle of the horrific laws and I don't want someone to call me and tell me the same thing that I'm writing about, I want to be acknowledge as an injured worker being screwed by the system and want something done once and for all.
My benefits are being held hostage by the insurance company, Currently I'm owed over $40,000.00 for my backpay, prescriptions, mileage and other bills on top of what they owe me. If the State of Florida was owed all of this money, I guarantee that Florida would go after it . The insurance companies have committed endless "ATROCITIES", The insurance companies guilty of having commited these ungodly and unethical acts have the feeling of assurance that nothing will be done to them, This needs to change as well, These insurance companies need to be held accountable for their actions as well as anyone commiting fraud.
All I want is the same thing that all of the injured workers' want and have to fight for..............benefits that by law we are entitled to!!!! If the President is able to put a stop to corporate fraud and sign a law, then the Florida Goverment can do something also, I've also have done research, How is an insurance company able to have (5) five different names? I don't believe that there all typo's,( that's the excuse the insurance company will use) so again I ASK, How can an insurance company have five (5) different names?
- CNA Insurance Co - 371 cases
- CNA Insurance Group - 3 cases
- CNA - 1386 cases
- RSKco - 4,638 cases
- RSKco Claims Services - 123 cases
Total of all cases -6,521 cases
One insurance company has their hands in 6,521 cases in one state, The State of Florida, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? I got all of the above totals for the cases from the State of Florida's website for the JCC. I haven't received monetary benefits for almost 2 years! I can't even rely on myself, You have no idea how degrading that is!!!
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I attempted to contact the Dept of Insurance, Workers' Compensation Insurance Fraud Division, as suggested by Attorney General Bob Butterworth's office(this happened before elections) and no one would give me the time of day! I was optimistic when I received the email from his office, but the optimism didn't last long.
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When is someone going to care enough to put a stop to the torment that the work comp carriers put us through? ~ DCFS has been accused of falsifying records, the work comp carriers do this constantly in every case, at least in every case that I know of, and it appears that Gov Bush is going to do something about the falsifying records, when is this government going to do something for the INJURED WORKERS'?
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You , Gov Bush, Florida Govt, Insurance Companies, Insurance Adjusters, Attorney's for the Insurance companies get paid on a regular basis.....WHY are the injured workers' and our attorney's treated differently?
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State regulators rarely investigate or punish the insurance companies, the law DOESN'T EXEMPT the COMPANIES, Why don't the laws apply to the carriers? The insurance companies delay and/or refuse to pay a claim and they skirt the truth in court or wrongfully offer less than they know a claim to be worth to the customers despite for cash, In most states, knowingly offering less than a claim is worth violates an insurance company's legal duty to treat the injured FAIRLY, WHY? THIS IS TAKING TO MUCH TIME TO REFORM THE LAWS, something needs to be done NOW! Please take the time to read this e-mail, I apologize for the length, but this ISN'T a simple problem!
On July 7, 1999, I had a minor injury to my left hand and wrist......... at least I thought it was a minor injury. When I was examined at the ER, I had several X-rays, all of them showing severe swelling but no fractures, they still treated it as a fracture, giving me a half cast and instructed me to see the doctor on Monday as I did. When I saw the doctor on Monday morning , July 12, 1999, the doctor took my half cast off, saying that it was not necessary because he didn't see a fracture, he gave me a small ace bandage wrap to support my hand and wrist. On July 18, 1999, I was in severe pain and went to the ER room in New Port Richey (I live in New Port Richey), at this time my wrist and hand was becoming severely swollen and very discolored. They re - x-rayed it and still found no fractures, at this time I was told by the attending physician that it was not unusual to not see a fracture on a x-ray, and suggested that I talk to my primary care physician for my work injury, and talk about having a bone scan, I asked them if they would do it and they explained to me that hey couldn't because it wasn't an emergency and it had to be approved my CNA/RSKco insurance company, my work comp carrier, but they did give me a brace because they felt I needed the support, especially since I was working full time. Come Monday, I called CNA/RSKco and requested a closer doctor since I lived in New Port Richey, I then started going to the local doctor. Right away, they put me on anti-inflammatory medication, IBUPROFEN 800mg, DARVOCET-N and PREDNISONE for the swelling, it didn't work. The swelling, pain and discoloration just continued to get worst, mean while I asked to be sent to an orthopedic doctor, I was told that I could be sent to the orthopedic doctor only if necessary. By August 5, they finally decided to send me to an orthopedic doctor. On August 10, 1999, I saw Dr. Choi, the orthopedic doctor, right from the start he asked me why I hadn't come to him sooner, and I explained to him that it wasn't my choice to wait.
On September 20, 1999, was my first appointment with Dr. Harris. He prescribed physical therapy at his own place that he used and I had to go 5 days a week. After I left his office, I realized I had made the biggest mistake of my life by agreeing to leave the orthopedic doctor. I was then given a referral to an attorney, Capp P. Taylor, P.A.. The work that he and his staff has done on my behalf has been remarkable and at the same time the paperwork that's necessary to file is rediculous!!!!!! The lobbyist wanted to cut our Attorney's fees, but it's because of the work comp carriers that they have to file the numerous petitions for benefits, that takes forever to get and we as workers' are entitled too. Now going back to my story, the plastic surgeon, Dr. Harris treated me for two months form September 20 - November 22, 1999. At my last appointment, Dr. Harris taunted me by telling me that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me and that I was causing my symptoms myself, at this time, my sister and Dr. Harris started arguing back and forth, she told him that she felt I needed more test done to find out what was wrong with my hand/wrist, He then stated to her that, the test were a waste of time and money because there wasn't anything wrong with me, she then told him that it wasn't his time or money, he then dismissed us and that was the last time I was treated by a doctor in 1999.~
In December of 1999, my attorney requested an independent medical exam with Dr. Belsole in Tampa, he thought I had RSDS but needed a complete work-up with test and that I was unable to work. At this point ,I was out of work for 4 months and getting 66 and 2/3rds percent at a rate of $310.62, which was the wrong amount, I should have been getting more and when someone is bring home $500.00 - $600.00 a week it's a big difference.
At the beginning of the year of 2000, things weren't any better!!! In February of 2000, Dr. Harris ordered a cat scan of my chest to see if there was any blood clots i my main veins and arteries, the cat scan was negative.
In March of 2000, the pain was getting worst everyday that past by and at this time, Dr. Harris stopped filling my pain medication, even though he stopped seeing me in November of 1999, He still continued filling my pain medication.~
In April of 2000, the work comp carrier and Dr. Harris ordered a psychological exam with Dr. Subervi, in Tampa. His results were , I was suffering from depression due to the problems I was having with my work injury, the way I was being treated by the work comp carrier and that my symptoms and pain were very real. From April 2000 -October 2000, I had to go to the ER because of the severe pain I was going through, the staff of the ER was getting use to seeing me every month or every three weeks, depending on the pain at that time. In August of 2000, they decided to stop my monetary benefits and refused to pay for the ER visits because they said it wasn't an emergency, that's easy for them to say, they weren't the one in the extreme pain. Going back to June of 2000, the work comp carrier ordered a mammogram! The mammogram was normal. Next, in July of 2000, they decided that they didn't like the first psychological exam, so they ordered one that they would like. The work comp carrier flew a psychiarist from Miami and put him up in the........Hyatt Regency in downtown Tampa for two days, plus his airfare, plus the cost of the test at which I noticed on a piece of paper he had from CNA/RSKco insurance co , the cost of the test was almost $1000.00, the money that they waste unnecessarily is absolutely unbelieveable, the work comp carrier will waste $10000.00 in stupid stuff to prevent from paying the injured worker, that's fraud, but I've noticed that nothing is done to the insurance companies, the insurance companies are the one's playing the games, but we are the one's that suffer the conquenses............WHY!!!!!!!! If we received medical care that was below average, that would be an improvement, that's sad, the medical care we receive is extremely less than below average, if that makes sense, it doesn't make any sense to me. I have cats that I love very much and the care that they get from their vet is unbelieveable and wonderful. At the beginning of February of 2000, one of my cats had to have major hip surger
On January 15, 2002, my attorney finally heard from the appellate court and they affirmed with what Judge Douglas stated and sent it back down to him. On January 31, 2002, there was a hearing on my behalf in front of Judge Douglas, my attendance was not required or needed. The attorney for my work comp carrier tried to have the final hearing pushed back to September or October of 2002, stated that they needed extra time, Judge Douglas didn't agree with them and scheduled the final hearing for Permanent Total Disability on March 29, 2002. March 29 arrived and again I was positive, but it doesn't last very long, the hearing lasted almost 6 hours and my work comp carrier was able to get an extention to present the facts, it's February 2003 and I'm still waiting.
In August 2002 we had a hearing, my doctor testified on my behalf & also at this time I lost the original judge assigned to my case due to a technicality and given a different judge, which meant more delays to my case due to the new judge not familiar with my case/records.............Just more delays due to "A GOVERNMENT DOING NOTHING TO HELP INJURED WORKERS".........October of this year, I received a check for about a quarter of what I'm owed and that was the last communication, this year is ending in less than a week, I thought by now , I would be able to go on with my life, but that's not the case, How can I go on when my future is up in lingo and uncertain?
A few weeks before the hearing, (the hearing in March 2002) I received a call from FOX 13, a few weeks to a month earlier, they had done a piece on Workers' Compensation Fraud and workers claiming they were unable to work due to their injuries, but they were found working and collecting benefits. After the interview, I called in with my comments and left my name and phone number and they called and invited me to the studio for an interview, along with four other callers. The interview aired on April 17, 2002, this was the first interview done on the opposite side, the "TRUE VICTIMS" OF A FAILING SYSTEM! Also interviewed was a representative from the Insurance Information Institute, Carolyn Gorman, she stated, "certainly the system isn't perfect , but in most cases in works well and the insurance companies cannot capriciously do whatever they choose with the workers' compensation system, they have to work within the laws, within the rules that have been laid down by the state. Now there's two problems with what she said, the first being, Carolyn Gorman never spoke to any of us about our cases and what we were going through everyday and the second problem being, THE LAWS!!! The insurance companies pick your doctor and try to make all your decisions especially if they are in the wrong and don't want to payout anything, plus we are left totally "HUMILIATED". Our injuries are hard enough to deal with everyday, we don't deserve to go through this constant crap, day in and day out. The insurance companies should not be able to stop our benefits at a moments notice. Sometimes I have wondered where my next meal is coming from. The laws need to be changed to protect everyone involved, the injured workers, employers and the insurance companies. I always thought that perjury was against the law, it is!!!, But nothing is done to the insurance companies, Why don't the laws apply to them? What the insurance companies do to us is a direct violation of the Constitution, Amendment XIV, Section 1 - "All persons born or naturalize
The workers' compensation system is failing the injured worker, If nothing else we need to be heard!! We vote people into office, we need to start making our voted officials accountable for their empty promises. No one should have to live like this, the constant pain from our injuries plus the constant road blocks from the system. The system is constantly dismissing us or passing the buck to someone else, because they don't care, don't know what to do or afraid to rock the boat. The insurance companies constantly accuse us of trying to get rich and that's not true, we didn't say "hurray we just won the lottery" when we got injured. Speaking for myself, I didn't retain an attorney for almost 3 - 4 months after my work injury and when they started to deceive me and lie to me.
Many injured workers' and their families have become homeless and have lost their homes and even their families, we can't forget that some workers' have even taken their life because of the constant feeling of helplessness and loss of dignity is degrading!!!The roller coaster effect needs to come to an immediate "HOLT and DESTROYED. Gov. Jeb Bush preaches for the children, but who does he think takes care of them...., the injured workers' are mothers, fathers, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, ect, ect.~
If a single parent who happens to be an injured worker and feels degraded and decides to take their life, who is left to take care of the children?, possibly family, but what happens if there isn't any family to care for the children? Guess what........ they become a ward of the court and placed in foster care, another failing system that loses children on a daily basis, How on earth do you lose a child? It's almost like they just disappeared in thin air.
The insurance companies are saying that "our" attorney's are getting rich off their fees, they got to be kidding, the claimant's attorney's made $69 million dollars last year, that is a large amount of money , but the attorney's for the insurance companies made $137 million dollars last year, that's almost double what our attorney's made last year, if our attorney's didn't have to file so much paperwork, paperwork that is caused by the insurance companies denying our benefits, both medical and monetary, insurance premiums would be more reasonable for the employers, the employers are just as bad as the insurance companies because they don't say anything and they just pay the high premiums.
The injured workers' across the country are victims of "political terrorism", their inactions are sadistic! We trusted them when we voted them into office. After the election , we are lefted with empty promises. After the interview, I made a friend, who also suffers from RSDS. RSDS isn't curable at this time, but medicine is changing everyday. Every case of RSDS is very different, some of us have a few symptoms and others suffer horrific symptoms that are disabling, extreme pain that can't be described with words and even though we take pain medication it doesn't take all the pain away, sometimes the medication doesn't seem to work. We need help NOW, we have been through enough!!!!! I wonder how our "ELECTED OFFICIALS" would feel if they endured constant pain and had no income! "CNA/RSKCO INSURANCE ALONG WITH THE OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE GUILTY OF FALSE AND FRAUDULENT
On February 13, 2002, the family of a woman killed by a shard of falling glass that fell from the 18th floor of CNA/RSKCO insurance headquarters in Chicago was awarded $18 million dollars from the company. CNA/RSKCO admitted the window had been cracked for more than 4 months. CNA/RSKCO agreed to pay the city a fine of $250,000 dollars and replace about 3,000 windows in it's 45 story skyscraper at the cost of $9 million dollars. WHERE IS IT SUPPOSE TO END?
Don't just take my word, check it out for yourself!! You will be shocked to see this going on everyday and absolutely nothing being done to stop this. Please don't turn your back on this. Thank you very much for taking time to read this, if you aren't in the position to help, PLEASE forward this to someone who can.