Re: New Here continued

[Guest guest]

LET ME WELCOME YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND TO THE GROUP.

YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN THROUGH A LOT. I AM SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE BOTH HURT AT THE SAME TIME. THAT MUST REALLY BE TOUGH.

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET ALL THE HELP THAT YOU WILL NEED TO GET YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME.

THIS GROUP IS A GOOD PLACE TO COME AND SHARE. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. WE ARE HER TO HELP AS MUCH AS WE CAN. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMEONE HERE THAT

WILL OFFER YOU AN ENCOURAGING WORD TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH THE DIFFICULT TIMES THAT ARE AHEAD FOR YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND.

THIS IS THE PLACE TO COME WHEN YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN NOT GO ON. SOMEONE HERE WILL RESPOND TO YOU AND GIVE YOU WORDS OF COMFORT AND HOPE. AS I SAID ,YOU ARE NOT ALONE ,WE ARE HER TO HELP.

NOW AS FAR AS YOUR HUSBAND SETTLING HIS CASE, I WOULD ADVISE AGAINST IT UNTIL HE HAS EVERYTHING DONE THAT HE NEEDS TO HAVE DONE.{SUCH AS THE SURGERY AND THE RECOVERY PROCESS- PHYSICAL REHAB,ETC.}

BUT THAT'S JUST ME.

LET ME SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF WITH YOU.

I WAS HURT ON THE JOB IN JAN. OF 2001. I LOST MY JOB AS A RESULT OF MY INJURY. I WAS ALSO HURT IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT LAST OCTOBER.

SO YOU SEE I CAN RELATE TO YOU BOTH AS FAR AS BEING HURT GOES.

I HAVE A RUPTURED DISK IN MY NECK AT THE C5 LEVEL.I HAVE HORRIBLE HEADACHES AND A LOT OF PAIN IN MY SHOULDERS FROM THIS 24/7

I ALSO HAVE A BULGING DISK IN MY BACK AT THE L4-L5 AREA.

I AM UNABLE TO STAND ,SIT,OR WALK WITHOUT HAVING A LOT OF PAIN IN MY BACK. IT TRAVELS DOWN MY LEFT HIP AND AROUND TO THE FRONT OF MY LEFT LEG. {SOMETIMES IT WILL GO DOWN TO MY FOOT} I AM ALSO UNABLE TO CARRY ANYTHING THAT WEIGHS MORE THAN 5 POUNDS WITHOUT HAVING A LOT OF PAIN IN MY NECK AND SHOULDERS.

I HAVE ALSO BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE NERVES ,FOR LACK OF A BETTER DESCRIPTION,FIRING OFF AND CAUSING A LOT OF SHARP ,INTENSE PAIN IN MY BACK AND IN MY LEFT LEG. SOMETIMES IT HITS IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL.

SOMETIMES THIS WILL HAPPEN UP TO 15 TO 20 TIMES IN A ROW BEFORE IT STOPS. THE PAIN IS VERY INTENSE AND REALLY HURTS.

I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU SO YOU WOULD KNOW THAT I CAN RELATE TO YOU AND YOUR HUSBANDS INJURIES.

WELL,I HAVE SAID ENOUGH,SO I WILL SAY BYE FOR NOW.

MAY YOU HAVE A BETTER DAY TODAY THAN YOU HAD YESTERDAY.

TAKE AS BEST CARE AS YOU CAN.

LARRY

sunshyne99_33 <sunshyne99_33@...> wrote:

I also wanted to mention that my husband, who is 39, he also has neck and back problems going on. He was hurt on the job 2 years ago, been on Workers Comp since. We have three sons, ages 11, 13 and 17. He has disk problems in the C area also. Degenertive disk disease too. The docs have tryed about everything so far. PT, epidurals, next is nerve block. The neurosurgeon he has, says its mainly for diagnostic. He will most likely be having surgery for disk fusion within the next month. His employer he was working for at the time of injury, is wanting to settle the case, lump sum. He is trying to get the neck surgery since it is so costly..done before that happens. Not even sure if he should settle with them yet. They are offering 120 thousand. If he can not work for a time, that money would not last long. Then the lawyer gets

his cut. Not sure about the process of all this. So if anyone knows about WC claims, that would be helpful.We may have neck surgeries a couple weeks apart from each other. I am scared on how we will be able to care for ourselves, and our sons. I am trying to work out a list, like chores for them. Trying to prepare them too. My 17 year old is trying to get his drivers liscence so if we need rides he can drive us. Or if we need something at the store etc. Thinking on asking a Sister in law for help during this time too. Its all so scary to me. How long for recuperation?

DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE SMALL STUFF.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR THAT

[Guest guest]

Yes you can relate to my husbands and I's injuries. It hasn't gotton

to that point like you described as of yet. I hope it don't, but I

know it can. I can still do some housework, computer work, a little

gardening. My husband does too. He is more of a extrovert, me a

introvert. Thanks for sharing!

[Guest guest]

Yes you can relate to my husbands and I's injuries. It hasn't gotton

to that point like you described as of yet. I hope it don't, but I

know it can. I can still do some housework, computer work, a little

gardening. My husband does too. He is more of a extrovert, me a

introvert. Thanks for sharing!

[Guest guest]

Yes you can relate to my husbands and I's injuries. It hasn't gotton

to that point like you described as of yet. I hope it don't, but I

know it can. I can still do some housework, computer work, a little

gardening. My husband does too. He is more of a extrovert, me a

introvert. Thanks for sharing!

[Guest guest]

> You need a lawyer that specalizes in W/C cases .

>

He has one. He has had a lawyer since the beginning, two years ago.

The lawyer is a sucky one. I wish I was along with him when he signed

him onto the case. My husband has a hard time making choices like

this. He also has MS (Multiple Sclerosis). The MS was in remission,

until the accident at work. He was a truckdriver too by the way.

Curious what others occcupations are? Or were?

His lawyer has billed him all along. He is up to a couple thousand

allready with him. No other lawyer will touch him until he settles

the bills with the present lawyer. I know.. Lawyers don't usually

bill until the case is settled. Its not like that in this situation.

My husband signed a contract.

The lawyer sent him a letter a couple weeks ago. Like a followup on a

phone conversation. The letter was about the company wanting to

settle the case. The lawyer said they most likely want to settle

because of the high rate of insurance premiums they now have to pay.

Plus its been two years now. Its costing them too much money. The

letter did state the employer is willing to settle on any amount. The

amount though is determined by WC. The letter said in his

opinion..The lawyers opinion, that the settlement would be for 100-

120 thousand. Also that if he did not accept that settlement, then it

is costly to go to a jury trial to fight for more money. Like around

6 thousand. That he would have to pay that amount up front. So it

feels like we are backed into a corner.

We do not have that kind of money laying around to pay the court

costs, fees to fight it. We can not get another lawyer like I said,

because of the outstanding bills with this lawyer, already tryed that

route.

Hope I brought more understanding to and more details to what is

going on.

He does not want to settle for that amount. He will most likely after

settlement, be fired from the job. Then he loses health insurance. We

couldn't afford the health insurance premiums, his health insurance

is covered through the employer though. I have been without health

insurance the whole time. Our sons are covered by healthy start

through the state welfare dept.

We lost our house,our cars, through a bankruptsy a year ago. So we

are like starting over pretty much. Got two cars now, no payments.

Then rent. The only income is his, which is 2,000 a month on WC. He

is thinking on filing for SSI disability. That would only be ..in our

guestimate around 1,400 a month.

The recent doctor bills for me, related to the spine, are covered at

this time through the car accident insurance. Using ours up first,

then the other guys insurance, the one that rear ended us.

My husband is getting a MRI done today, to compare to the before, to

see if any damages to his back and neck happened in the same car

accident a month ago. We were both in the car at the time of

accident. He was the driver, me the passanger.

In my opinion, he should go ahead and settle the WC case. Take what

they give him. I see no other way around it.

Sunshyne