The Bottom Line

If you have been injured seriously on the job, it seems simple enough. You think that the insurance that is required but law in California, must take care of your medical bills and compensate you for the days you are unable to work. It's that simple. California has a 'no fault' system and is required to do that. However, it doesn't work that way. If you are seriously injured,the insurance company may or may not accept your case leaving you injured, with no money, no hope of help and by law, you are not allowed to use your own insurance to cover that injury. So you remain injured. By law you should be given a 'case worker' and that persons job is to make sure that you get the help you need. Again, that may or may not happen. If your job is serious, you can expect that the insurance company has an attorney. Many times the attorney for the defense, and the claims adjuster work together and their job is to make sure that you do not receive your benefits. So what is it that you can do to make sure that doesn't happen? What can you do as the injured to get the help you need? Well, the first thing is to find your own attorney. Or you can find yourself suddenly thrust into learning the work comp system. Do not at any time think that these people have your best interest at heart. Because while the law states clearly that they must take care of you, there is no over site to make that happen. No one is in control, no one will care, and you are pretty much now left at the mercy of delay and denial and many court dates taking months for you to even begin to receive the much needed care.

In the last few days everyone is talking about bailing out companys that have committed fraud. Keep in mind that AIG bilked the injured workers of their workers compensation benifits of over $1 billion. To my mind, these people belong in jail. No one came around to help those poor injured people when they lost their jobs. Not one government official has lifted a hand to help those in pain and in need and were robbed of their basic civil rights to health care.

All this sounds very cynical but I can tell you that this will happen. You may find yourself followed by strange people watching you or taking your picture. My advice? Smile...carry your own camera and take pictures of them back. Post those pictures on a web site somewhere. There is hope, but at this point it is up to you. You are broken and hurt and in pain and your family will not understand. Your friends will not understand. You will have to take the time, take matters into your own hands and fight or give in. Those are your choices. If you chose to fight, continue to check this site and others. If you give in, I can't help you and you need to find an internet game to play to pass the time for the next few years because you will need something to keep your mind busy.

They system is broken, The Governor of California broken them further. And for years now, you are now a statistic and a number. It's up to you how you want to handle your life.

For more information on this subject please visit: California Progress Report