Workers Comp Help
Injured From Heavy Lifting At Work
I am a florist, bookkeeper an I also dabble in interior design. I am freelance and work out of my home. A very dear friend of mine, who trained me as a florist, called me approximately 2 months ago and asked if I would fill in and work for her for 3 days in the floral department at her grocery store. Last year I worked with her for the same company, but a different location.
I told her I would work for those three days only because it would allow her to see her sister graduate from nursing school and she wanted to design all the flowers for the ceremony. If anyone else had asked (and I have been asked) for me to work back at this grocery store, my answer was no.
My injury occurred Friday May 11, 2001 which was the last day to work as her replacement. However I feel that Wednesday's work contributed significantly to the strain on my back and that by Friday morning I was already sore and taking 800mg ibuprofen. I had only walked in that store two times and that was only to meet this friend and go to lunch.
I knew none of the other personnel with the exception of 2 people I ran across that had worked at the same other location I had and I had met the store director at my friends house when she had a home cooking party. A manager (managers wear vests) came into the department Wednesday to do a walk-thru. This is just to make sure your department is ready for the new sale ad and you have the product on display.
He told me I needed to get outside and get the outdoor garden plants cleaned up and organized. We had a truck Tuesday that delivered 25 Queen Ann Ferns (approx. 30lbs.ea.), 10 Hibiscus trees, 10 hibiscus bushes, and numerous potted plants with trellises. I got the Queen Ann Ferns moved and knew that I had lifted too much. I found this manager, told him that I have back trouble already and all I could get moved was the ferns. I asked him to find someone to help me and that I really needed someone to water them as well. That request for help went unheeded.
I have saved this into my word processor and will finish it in pieces. I am still in severe pain today and cannot sit for long periods of time. I cannot believe the uncaring attitudes of the medical profession that I have experienced in the last five days and I would like to become very involved in a fight against neglect and indifference. I have no medical insurance because I cannot afford it. But neither can I afford to sit back and not speak out. I will follow through with every detail of this story and you will be amazed.