“injured” wrote:
I am totally over it after three years of this workcover circus of a system.
I was injured at work and went through hell to get the appropriate treatment which consisted of major back surgery. When I was finally allowed to have the surgery by Allianz, my surgeon told me they waited to long and that the surgery was not going to be of much help anymore.
I am now suffering the consequences of their immoral delays and my doctors have put me off of work for the foreseeable future.
The insurance company sent me to an IME surgeon and he said I am unfit for all work. My employer then terminated my permanent position.
This caused me to slip into a major depression and I tried to kill myself.
Then the insurance company sent me again to another IME, this one, a very old man (must have been 80) wrote that I can do “light office duties, part time” and since then the insurance company has assigned me a vocational rehab person who tells me every week that I am not trying hard enough to find a job and that I have to get a job within 3 weeks otherwise they will cut me off benefits.
Last week this vocational man told me that he had even people with no arms can work as they can hold a pen in their mouth!
But my own treaters refuse to issue a certificate of capacity, even with restrictions, it does’nt make any sense to me that Allianz forces me to look for a job and work based on one senile IME.
How on earth can they get away with harassing me on a weekly basis? They say they will stop my weekly payments in three week’s time regardless whether or not I have a job by then.
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Do you have advice for “injured”? Post here or better yet, visit our forum to respond to “injured” here: http://aworkcovervictimsdiary.com/forum/index.php?topic=16.msg21#new
Hello “injured”
What a horrible story and situation you are in. Unfortunately the very same happens to many severely and genuinely incapacitated injured workers everyday.
Apart from seeking professional legal advice with a reputable personal injury firm in your State, perhaps you could lodge an urgent Conciliation.
Please read: http://aworkcovervictimsdiary.com/2011/10/what-if-a-claim-is-rejected-or-notice-is-given-that-weekly-payments-will-stop/
WorkCover Assist is also an excellent organisation which can help you with your conciliation, they come highly recommended.
Keep us posted and keep strong! Thinking of you.
Dear workcovervictim, actavista and helpers, thank you so much for posting my plea for advice here. The information you have provided is very useful I think. I will ring Conciliation tomorrow and get in touch with WorkCover Assist also.
I have a lawyer but they don’t seem to care at all, can’t even get them on the phone. I am thinking of changing over. Any suggestions?
injured x
Any information you provide to the filth at WorkCover Assist will immediately be provided to the filth at Allianz.
Contact your union and change lawyers immediately.
Has anyone else had negative experienced with WorkCover Assist? Whilst I have never used them personally, I have heard some very good things about them, and some bad things. Would be interesting to know what you have experienced.
Union – sure it is an option – mine (the ANF!!!) was pathetic – came 2 months after my request for URGENT help. When they finally rocked up it was too late!
It’s a giant political circle, nobody ever seems to get reasonable outcomes. Get comfortable fighting for everything, forever, or give up. Even if you win a common-law damages claim it’s barely more than the disability pension as an annuity. Not enough people care enough to complain about it politically sufficient to get it changed.
Best options seems to be move to the country, rent something dirt cheap and go on a disability pension and try and enjoy the simplest life you can.
It seems to be the design intent of the system — frustrate you enough you give up and accept consuming less, while shifting the financial burden from the state, to the federal government. Realistically you don’t have much choice about it either — they have all the cards, and are playing them within a millimetre of their lives.
I wish I had better advice for you.
Ben.
I’m sick of seeing your messages suggesting that people “give up” or go on to the disability pension.
I consider your advice to be inappropriate.
Same here – I feel that this comment is detrimental and just plain nonsense Ben. Just imagine what would happen if “Newbies” take your advise as serious?
I assume from your comment, Ben, that you have done just that – moved to the country, rented something dirt cheap and went on the disability pension.
Can you explain to us how the disability pension covers your medical bills?
Sorry to interrupt this discussion, but I wanted to let “Ben” know that I am shocked at his comment in response to an injured worker in distress who is clearly in need of constructive advice! Telling this person to just “give up”and go on the “disability pension” is totally outrageous! No wonder injured people don’t want to ask for advice/help if that’s the kind of answer they get. This is a serious question, from an injured person as posted on the forum – please refrain from causing further (mental) harm to this person!
What workcovervictim & actavista replied to the question (here and on the forum) does make sense – seek legal advise, appeal to conciliation and they’re here for support.
To the webmaster – can you not block such an insulting comments?
Wow some chatting has been going here on whilst I was Nana-napping!
I have read all your comments twice over and I must say that I agree that “Ben”‘s comment is not appropriate, especially considering the subject of this post.
May I kindly ask you, Ben, to refrain of commenting so negatively and, frankly, inappropriately – considering the question/help asked for here. Telling injured people publicly “to give up” is possibly the worst thing you could have posted on this topic.
Thanks
Check out Workcovervictim’s post on the forum:
“It is clear to me that we are just one of the creatures in the animal kingdom that defines ourselves by what we create.
Life is fairly meaningless unless we have a purpose, goal, direction, motivation and determination to accomplish.
When someone is injured, their immediate purpose becomes that of recovery, and it is often many months (sometime years) before some realise that “recovery does not mean returning to how things once were.” Indeed, many injuries result in permanent changes with which one will live forever…….”
Read it on the forum >>
Thank you all for your help. I have been able to speak with a conciliator at the ACCS and I am allowed to lodge an urgent appeal – hooray! My doctors have been asked by the ACCS to write medical reports to support my dispute and the matter will be taken from there. I also called WorkCover Assist (they were very friendly) but their “service” just involves sending a representative 30 min before the conciliation date; although they said the representative would call me to discuss…
I was a little bit perplexed with the “advice” of just giving up and going on the disability pension. I was feeling pretty hopeless but was/am looking for a decent solution with your help. Thanks again for the great advice about conciliation. Much much appreciated.
I am glad things are looking a little bit better for you – I’ll cross my fingers and toes for you and hope for a positive conciliation outcome. Please keep us posted!
I have known Ben for many years – and I believe what he is doing here is purposely eliciting shock and negativity for attention seeking purposes. Also known as “tone trolling”. After 10 years of friendship this got too much on me and I had to erase Ben from my life.
Unfortunately he needs psychological help, and has the means opportunity and availability to do so, but refuses to get it – instead, lashing out at everyone and anyone who will give him the spotlight to enact his bullying/nastiness or to feed his persecution complex. Instead of responding to Ben and giving him the negative attention he wants, its probably best to ignore him.
It’s great to see people standing up to him now, I have noticed a general reluctance to comment whenever Ben is responding, but am noticing that people are now responding in a unified way instead of behind the scenes, this is positive!
@Ben, please get the help you need and reach out to your family or professionals instead of innocent and injured victims on this board. I will personally block any future negative and nasty comments from you on this board. Get help, and stop harassing innocent and injured people – this is the epitomy of cowardice.
Hi there – I had been wondering why there were so many negative comments from this person “Ben”on this blog and I must admit that I had been, initially, very alarmed and very concerned about this person. But then I noticed that the comments kept coming (I read them all) and kept the same tone but angrier and I assumed that it was not a real “hopelessness” or suicide threat as such. I am sure that this person is suffering a lot though, but as you rightfully state it is best for him to seek professional help.
Just publicly ranting about setting oneself on fire, insulting your own mother (that shocked me) and also insulting/attacking the article or post author(s) (ex. “your suggestions are totally insufficient / inappropriate / you will lose your partner etc) are really not constructive, not even funny or entertaining. There have been however a few insightful comments (but very few).
“Ben” may I also take this opportunity to encourage you to seek professional help. It would be much better for you and your body (incl, you reported pain levels) to get rid of your extreme anger. many of us have been there – in the extreme anger and frustration stage – but you should be able to get through this stage and “move on” a little and start living life again, even with disabilities and pain, it is still possible to reach an acceptance stage and enjoy what you have (left).
Whenever I get extremely upset or negative I try to think about all the people who have been diagnosed with terminal cancer today. Even with pain and few less limbs or function, we should still be grateful in a way that “it was only just that” and it’s not like we’re having pancreatic cancer.
I also think that Workcovervictim’s article on the forum about “hopelessness” is very well written – perhaps read it a few times.
Good luck and let us know how you are progressing.
@Ben – I would see no reason to block your comments if they are constructive and somewhat on “topic” of the post. In fact I would like to see you comment more often – you have occasionally posted some really great and insightful and/or witty comments – try to stick to those kind of comments.
On a personal note, don’t take all of this negatively, but see it as a “we care about you” and “want you to get better”. That is how I would interpret these comments and not “see, they all abandon me and shun me”. x
Controlling and compulsive personality traits
I stumbled upon some old notes from uni
May be interesting:
“Control characterises the life of the compulsive patient. Such individuals, most often male, are very reluctant to relinquish that control to anyone. The prospect of allowing others to make decisions for them results in anxiety and, ultimately, anger. They overcome or prevent anxiety by remaining in control”
Obviously, the workers’ compensation system is a great challenge for such individuals. To a significant extent, the system strips individuals of control. The response of the compulsive patient is then resentment.
That resentment will be displayed by the following:
Surly and abrasive attitude
Repeated attempts to regain control
Complaints and protests
Passive aggression
In turn, passive-aggression is display by noncompliance with prescribed care or simply failing to follow through with care.
And the compulsive/controlling patient also battles with others who are now in control of his life.
You will not change this personality trait; you cannot battle him into submission. So what do you do?
You provide the patient with some semblance of control that does not negatively impact the management of the case. Whenever and wherever possible, you ask for the patient’s input, ask him to schedule his own appointments, encourage him to maintain a journal or list not only of symptoms but of his perceptions positive and negative progress in treatment.
This enables the patient a functional way of experiencing that sense of control without interfering with the care that he needs. In effect, use his need for control to benefit him rather than as a battleground for him.
Histrionic patient
The patient is not malingering, not consciously attempting to deceive. They are shallow and attention seeking. They need to be the center of attention, and they are often seductive with rapidly shifting superficial emotional expression. They make those who are attempting to assist them very uncomfortable.
They are excessively emotional, and you will often feel that they are seductive and sometimes inappropriately affectionate. This seductive behaviour is often inappropriate to the context and can be displayed in doctor’s offices, in physical therapy and in the workplace. You find them initially charming and open, but their need to be in emotional command of the situation will quickly be wearing. You will be uncomfortable with their seemingly excessive flattery and/or need to bring gifts or other signs of “just too much” affection.
They will be quite dramatic in their presentation of psychological and physical symptoms. Their symptoms seem theatrical, and their attachment to you and others is superficial and rapidly shifting and shallow. They may seem concerned about impressing you and attempt to extract from you compliments on how they look and how well they are dealing with the discomfort from their injuries.
You may feel embarrassed with the degree of their emotionality, but realise, they are not at all embarrassed. You will note that these emotions have no depth even though they are extreme. They may engage in elaborate explanations of their emotions, but you will note an absence of insight. They simply are unaware or unconcerned with the impact that they are having upon you or others.
More troubling is that they are very suggestible and even the slightest reference to what their symptoms could mean, even if this suggestion is provided by another patient, immediately leads to excessive alarm and even more drama. Sobbing, laughing too quickly and too loudly and other attempts to hold them as the focus of everyone’s attention will eat up your time and patience.
You cannot reassure, dissuade or otherwise alter their behavior. You can best contain the behavior by making interactions brief, follow an agenda and be based upon exchange of data, not responding to the excessive emotionality.
whilstle whistle….
PS I have set up and “psychology & workcover” board on the forum – perhaps we can continue there…
Wow, those uni notes are very interesting indeed..
I have a whole file full of interesting psychology notes, also very applicable to injured workers as they were in the setting of “hospital patients”. I will start posting some – perhaps on the forum, under the new psychology & workcover board…
I’m sorry you don’t understand my line of reasoning, I’m not trying to upset you, I’m talking about politics. I’m telling you the only way to escape the system, the way you’re being “incentivised” to act, and why the incentives are there, and who’s benefiting.
I encourage anyone with the energy to endure the fight to fight for their rights, fight for everyone’s rights, but people at the end of their tether, who just want to escape, my advice of going on the disability pension and living cheap IS constructive. Seriously, honestly. I’m happy to explain it further to anyone who wants to understand rather than vilify me.
It’s not trolling. I don’t want a reaction, it’s the honest truth as best as I can tell. It was intended to help, not hinder, and perhaps I could have been more wordy in explaining that it was a choice, and fighting was the ‘right’ thing to do, if you have the energy.
Your pack reaction against me is misdirected, I understand you’re all on emotional roller-coasters and don’t need stress from anywhere, but let’s try and keep this focused in the same direction rather than wolf-packing me, eh?
I am already seeing professional help, not that it’s any of your business.
Ben.