WORKERS
COMPENSATION
Workers Compensation was
designed to help workers injured on the job.
The United States Department of Labor set certain standards that all the
states must follow, but within those standards the states each have huge
latitude to make their own laws and boy, have they!
Some states force employers
to carry their own insurance while others force them to pay into a fund whereby
the state manages the workers comp cases. There is much debate over which system
is better.
Small companies with only
three or four employees are not required to carry workers compensation insurance
at all.
Before you sustain and
injury -- or certainly immediately after -- learn as much as possible about the
laws in your state.
Knowledge is power.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU'RE
INJURED?
The very first thing you do
is tell your supervisor that you have sustained an injury. If possible, put the
accident in writing and have your supervisor sign or initial and date it If
there were any witnesses to the injury, have them also sign and date it, too.
Of course if you're removed
by ambulance, this will be more difficult, but as soon as possible afterward,
get this done. It will prove invaluable in the future.
Secondly, whether you are
taken to the doctor or the hospital, have them document everything that is
injured, from your big toe to your pinky finger with x-rays. The more initial
tests you have done, the more likely workers compensation is to acknowledge your
injuries as a result of the accident.
One member fell, injuring
her foot, leg, hip, and shoulder on one side. Her doctor documented in writing
that she had contusions to the foot, a sprained hip and shoulder, but
because the doctor only had the foot x-rayed, a year later workers comp was
still arguing whether her hip and shoulder had actually been injured because
it had not been documented at the
time. Much to her shock, the fact her doctor had written down the
injuries was not sufficient documentation!
So push for all the tests
you can get immediately. Get all the written evidence from witnesses immediately
before anyone has time to think over what they're doing.
WHAT DO YOU DO AFTER
THE FIRST DAY?
Most states require your
supervisor/employer be notified within the first 30 days. Do this in person and
by writing, through registered mail.
Start a file and immediately
begin documenting everything. Every doctor's visit, every communication with
your employer, writing down the context of every phone call, every communication
with the workers compensation carrier, every test you have, the results --
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. There are fold-over nylon folder-holders that hold
about ten file folders which we've found especially helpful for keeping things
sorted by correspondence with employers, with doctors, prescriptions, business
cards and phone numbers, etc.
Although computers are
handy, the also crash, so don't trust them for your record keeping.
WHAT DOCTOR DO I SEE?
Some states allow you to
choose your own doctor and you may want to stay with your family doctor or find
a specialist who deals with your type of injury.
Other states have a
selection of doctors who work for them from whom you must choose.
In either case, if you are
not satisfied with the doctor -- who is called your "primary care physician" --
do not hesitate to find or request another. Some doctors will not prescribe
narcotics for pain and when you're in excruciating pain, narcotics may be your
only recourse. Others just don't give a hoot about you. You have a right to be
treated with courtesy, respect, and efficiency. If you're not, don't be afraid
to ask around and get a referral to another doctor.
Follow the doctor's
instructions exactly. This may include an "off-work order" or a "limited-duties
work order."
Even after finding your own
doctor or being assigned to one, your employer may force you to see "their"
doctor.
INDEPENDENT MEDICAL
EXAMINERS
These people are usually
called "Independent Medical Examiners" (IME's) and though their opinion is
supposed to be independent, your employer is paying them.
This doctor is NOT your
friend. Provide no more information than absolutely necessary. Answer questions
with "yes" or "no" -- period. You do not have to prove anything to this doctor.
S/He may insult you, say you are okay, accuse you of faking your injury. Pay no
attention -- the insurance company's doctors are hired to say these things.
If you're female, don't
bother with your hair or makeup on the day you see this doctor. If you're a man,
don't shave for a couple days. In either case, wear slightly shabby clothes. Be
prepared to be treated like a slab of meat for this is what you are to them.
They may act nice -- beware, they are trying to deceive you into opening up.
Even such innocent remarks as "My what pretty painted toenails you have" is a
loaded comment for "how did you paint them yourself if you feel so awful?"
ALWAYS have someone else drive you to the appointment and preferably have them
go into the office with you as a witness.
FILING A CLAIM WITH
WORKERS COMPENSATION
This is something your
employer should take care of for you, but assume nothing. Ask your employer if
they have filed a claim. You should be notified by the Workers Compensation
department of your claim number and case manager. If you are unable to connect
with your case manager, do not be afraid to contact their supervisor. No state
employee is out of the office all the time.
If your employer does not
take care of this on a timely basis -- within two to three weeks, call the
Department of Workers Compensation yourself and report the injury.
WHAT ARE YOU ENTITLED TO?
You are entitled to free
medical care. This of course is limited to what workers compensation approves.
They will automatically approve most medications. For treatment, they require
certain forms be approved by them first, so don't rush into physical therapy
unless you're able to pay for it yourself.
They are infamous for
refusing treatment. Along the line you'll probably have to have a hearing to
approve treatment. This brings us to the question:
You are entitled to
additional benefits if you are permanently injured.
If You Are Temporarily
Unable to Work:
If you become temporarily
unable to work, you'll usually receive two-thirds of your average wage up to a
fixed ceiling of 12 weeks. After that you'll receive a percentage of the
amount you received the first 12 weeks. Yes, your standard of living is going
to change; often drastically.
These payments are
tax-free, so if you received decent wages prior to your injury, you'll fare
reasonably well in most states. You will be eligible for these wage-loss
replacement benefits as soon as you've lost a few days of work. Again, study
your state's law to see when they have to begin paying you and how much.
Your family is entitled to
additional benefits if you die, which of course is great comfort to you.
You may be entitled to
vocational rehabilitation benefits -- that is, on the job training, schooling
or job placement assistance. The benefits paid through workers' compensation,
however, are almost always limited to relatively modest amounts.
Permanently Unable to Return
to Work:
If you become permanently
unable to do the work you were doing prior to the injury, or unable to do any
work at all, you may be eligible to receive long-term or lump-sum benefits.
The amount of the payment you may be entitled to receive varies greatly with
the nature and extent of your injuries. If you anticipate a permanent work
disability, contact your local Workers' Compensation office as soon as
possible; these benefits are rather complex and may take a while to process.
BIG BROTHER IS
WATCHING
Because of the number of
unmentionable people who defraud the system, your employer or workers comp may
hire an investigator who follows you and tries to obtain photos showing you
performing activities a person with your injury shouldn't be able to do. They
may also sit outside your home in a well-disguised van and record each time you
venture out of your home and what you do.
So if you use a cane, use
it. If you have trouble lifting or have lifting limits, follow them.
This is more common than you
might think. "Big Brother" is indeed watching. One reader told us that the
investigators put boulders in front of his garage door every night so he had to
move them to get his car out of the garage, thereby engaging in an activity he
shouldn't have been able to perform while they taped it.
APPEALS
If your legitimate benefits
are denied, you should immediately file an appeal with your state appeals agency
-- called the Industrial Accidents Board, the Workers' Compensation Appeals
Board or something similar. You may also want to hire an attorney to help you
press your claim.
CAN I SUE MY EMPLOYER?
Generally, no. The workers'
compensation system was established as part of a legal trade-off. In exchange
for giving up the right to sue an employer in court, you get workers'
compensation benefits no matter who was at fault.
Today, you may be able to
sue in court if your injury was caused by someone other than your employer (a
visitor or outside contractor, for example) or if it was caused by a defective
product (such as a flaw in the construction of the workplace equipment).
WHAT IF MY EMPLOYER
THREATENS ME IF I FILE A CLAIM OR TELLS ME IT'S UNNECESSARY?
This is a violation of the
workers' compensation laws in most states. Report this immediately to your local
workers' compensation office.
CAN MY EMPLOYER FIRE
ME WHILE I'M ON WORKERS COMPENSATION?
Contrary to popular opinion,
YES.
Of course you can also turn
around and sue them under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) but
these cases are becoming harder and harder to prove and receive compensation
for, unfortunately for us.
Forget the great big bucks.
Most injuries have a monetary award attached to them. Again, check your state's
laws. Be careful about signing any settlement papers. Your medical needs may
continue for the rest of your life and you want to be certain those needs will
be taken care of.
DO I NEED AN ATTORNEY?
Only you can decide this
one. Workers Comp, like most of the legal system, is comprised of the "good ole
boy" network. As a novice, you're probably not going to get much done if you
don't have an attorney. They're very handy for getting your weekly benefits
started and fairly handy for getting treatments approved.
On the minus side, the
attorney will take part of whatever settlement you eventually receive. Some
states put a cap of 20% on this while others allow as much as 30% PLUS costs.
Attorneys are infamous for piling on costs.
As a layperson, even by
studying the law in your state thoroughly, you're not going to grasp the
intricacies the way an attorney does. You're also not a part of the "good ole boy"
network, which is a strike against you from the start.
When it comes time to
discuss settlements -- and this may be years down the road depending on the
extent of your injury -- they DO earn their keep, obtaining larger statements
than you will by yourself. Of course, this is so they can take a larger portion,
but that's why they're in the business to begin with.
So all in all, it's still a
personal decision. Talk to other people in your area, in support groups, etc.,
to find a good one, but if you don't have a major injury, be prepared to be
allocated to the bottom of the attorney's interest pile.
OTHER ASSISTANCE
While waiting for your
benefits to start, or after they start and are too little to live on, you may
qualify for welfare, Social Security Supplemental Income (SSDI), food stamps,
food pantries, rental assistance, and other programs. Check with your county
Human Services Department for information on eligibility.
PRIDE
It was once said, "Pride
goeth before the fall." Unfortunately, with a workers compensation accident,
pride usually goeth with the fall. Do what you need to do to survive. After all,
you've paid into these systems all your working life. Now is the time to get
some of that money back.
THE UNWRITTEN RULES
This is the part no one will
tell you except someone who's been through the system. You won't want to believe
any of this, but it is the gospel truth.
If you get into the worker's
compensation system, you're going to need lots and lots of patience. A support
group or a dozen of them is also a good idea. Don't worry about time; you'll
have plenty of that to get together with them, online or face-to-face.
You're going to need both
because you've just entered a world of conundrums where nothing is as it seems
or should be.
Workers compensation was
created to take care of injured workers and get them back to work, but that's
just the public line. In actuality, you're just one of a few zillion people in
their eyes who are faking injuries for the sole purpose of a poorly paid
vacation. Of course this makes no sense to the normal, intelligent person. Who
wants their life completely ruined, their house foreclosed on, their lifestyle
reduced to living on substantially less than when they were able to work?
You will have a difficult
time getting your rightful benefits, the treatment you need to get better, and
finding doctors who will believe and swear that there is anything wrong with you
and request that treatment in the first place. Workers compensation doctors know
payment is going to be slow in coming and though they may take you on, you're
not going to be high on their list of priority patients.
Your Workers Compensation
Helpers
Your workers compensation
caseworker has about a trillion cases. Now that voice mail has been invented,
you will find yourself talking to it more than you'll ever talk to your
caseworker. If you don't get a call back, you have the right to try to find out
who your caseworker's manager is and elevate your question to that person. You
better have records of the dates and times you called your caseworker because
your caseworker will never have received those calls.
Oh yes, their voice mail box
is often full, so you can't leave a message anyway. Be sure to tell their
supervisor's voice mail that, unless of course their voice mail box is full too.
You can elevate your question to that supervisor's supervisor and so on and so
on until you find a voice mail box that isn't full or a live person to talk to.
These people are always
"off" or "in a meeting" which would appear to be the real reason nothing ever
gets done. The meetings topics are probably how not to pay for treatment.
Hearings
Hearings are workers
compensation's way of giving you false hope. You will become familiar with
hearings through the number of times they are set and postponed. Your employer
will do nothing for the first year, depending on the system to fumble and
stumble over its own feet and postpone treatment and hearings at least that
long.
When you hear from your
employer's attorney, things might actually start happening. Not good things,
mind you. Things like Independent Medical Examiners. These are basically hired
guns who were once perhaps practicing doctors who weren't very good or just
plain lazy and found out they could make tons of money rendering opinions while
saving on offices and overhead and malpractice insurance since they're no longer
actually practicing medicine.
A doctor can't be sued for
rendering an opinion, so they render them a few days a week, and the rest of the
time they vacation in Europe or the South Seas several times a year, when not
driving one of their several luxury cars or residing in one of their luxury
homes.
Lawyers hate these doctors
because they can't sue them. Doctors, unlike other people who can be sued for
libel, can render opinions all day long and be completely immune from being held
responsible.
Once a year they will render
a positive opinion in support of a patient's injury just to break the monotony
and prove they are not completely negative buttheads. The rest of the time you
will not recognize whom they are talking about when you read their report about
you after you spend five minutes not being examined by them during your
mandatory examination or you may get really unlucky and get one who talks and
talks for an hour while saying nothing.
The result is the same. They
are your enemy, the enemy of all people injured and their reports will always be
negative even if you walk in with an opened artery.
Your Lawyer
By all means get a good
workers compensation lawyer. This will often be a disembodied voice on the
telephone. He also takes long and frequent vacations while the paralegals and
other lackeys in his office run his business. However, without one, you can't
navigate the system at all.
Some states have wisely put
a cap on how much this attorney can take out of any settlement you may get;
others will let him charge you each time your file crosses his desk. Notice I
say "cross" because it is doubtful they actually ever look at your file. That's
for the paralegals and lackeys. The only good thing is that they normally don't
get paid until you get a settlement and then, if there's not a cap, you will pay
through the nose.
When there is a hearing,
they will send one of their lackeys. Now you will expect these lackeys to be as
prepared and educated on your case as you are. This is an unrealistic
expectation. Their caseload is also humongous so they may have glanced at your
file on the way to the hearing. You should be prepared to represent yourself.
At the hearing, there are
usually several hearing rooms with a large waiting room in which people are
hurriedly conferring with their attorneys. This will often be the first time you
will meet your attorney or lackey. They may or may not show up on time. Showing
up on time is a big deal with the hearing officers. It's not a big deal with the
attorneys and lackeys.
It will not matter how
bumbling or unprepared the attorney for the other side is; they'll probably
still "win" because losing would cost the workers compensation system money.
Losing would mean the system would have to acknowledge you are truly injured and
need treatment and that costs them money.
In summation, the workers
compensation system doesn't care if you have enough or any money to live on, get
well or don't, return to work or don't. Your attorney doesn't care a whole lot
more. Your doctor probably cares most out of all the people you'll deal with,
but only after you've shopped around and gone through ten or more and actually
found a decent one who believes you're injured and deserve treatment. Even then
the workers compensation system will completely tie their hands except for
medication.
Surveillance
Yes, you are subject to
surveillance. A system that won't spend $50 for treatment will happily pay
thousands to have someone follow and videotape you. At any time and any place.
The other side will also do this. So even if you have a rare good day when the
pain level is low or you don't need your cane or can actually walk on your own,
remember: they're out there and they're waiting and watching for just that one
day.
And Remember:
Document Everything
Learn Your State's
Workers Compensation Law
Find Out What Other
Assistance Is Out There
And don't believe a
word they say.
Workers Compensation Laws by
State
The basis of the law from which each state makes its own rules, within which
some basics can not be changed.
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