Injured Worker “I” found the courage and strength to share his painful story with us. Again, this story highlights the blame mentality taken on by so many employers (in a no-fault system!), and the endless frustrations a severely injured worker typically faces with his/her workcover case manager. Note that this injured workers was told by his case manager that “if he feels depressed he can ring her for a chat” (WTF).
Injured worker shares painful story and frustration with workcover insurer
The injured workers story in his own words
The injured workers further writes that this is ” just a short rant about my story I refuse to beaten by my insurance co QBE and have made a formal complaint against them to their complaints dept 3 weeks ago no response whats new!!!!”
Thank you so much “I” for having the guts to share your story and from your heart. We can certainly FEEL your pain and building frustration with the workcover system – clearly seeing how you too are trapped in that Cycle of Despair we recently talked about.You have also become increasingly alienated from colleagues and certainly your blaming (hos sick!) employer whom you now strongly feel has abandoned you; your relationship” with your pathetic workcover case manager is also clearly increasingly become strained, compromised or untenable. You also have become focused and pre-occupied upon issues of rights and authorisation of care rather than issues of improvement – why? because of the retaliatory nature of workcover insurance! It’s a constant fight to obtain legit “entitlements”/”benefits” (i.e. obtaining taxi transport); frustration sets in; anger; and it’s really about basic human rights! And, on top of this you have no clear career alternatives, conceived goals or direction.
But as you are experiencing at this very moment, you will be harassed, bullied and intimidated to “re-train”, and most often this “retraining” will be dictated by your pathetic case manager, with no regards for you as a human being.
As I posted yesterday, it is during that first year after a serious workplace injury – like yours – that we start seeing behaviors that reflect a sense of increased helplessness and decreased hopefulness. And this is normal, mate. This is simply what many injured workers are forced to endure in the dysfunctional workers compensation system.
mine actually did everything possible to cease my much needed psychological treatment at a time where I had just been referred to a psychiatrist for major depression and suicidal ideation (following unlawful sacking). She sent me a letter sating that my psych services were ceased and then told me on the phone that “I did not need to see a shrink as I could talk to her” (WTF). I remember this a one of the most terrible times of my life… and in my totally suicidal state had the pleasure to go to conciliation, which I won of course, but also was forced to attend a “vocational assessment”! Now, as you may know, when you feel really down, depressed and find yourself in that “black hole” you really can’t think straight, let alone think about your future “career”! Not only was the vocational assessment inappropriate, it was also found totally unnecessary in my case (and ridiculous) by several independent medical doctors from the insurer(!). The “outcome” of that vocational assessment I had to undergo half dead was that I “could work as a ward clerk” for example, BUT I had been sacked from a management position that was entirely office based on the basis that I was “too impaired” for that!
The worst part perhaps was that I was also certified unfit for all and any work, both from a psychological and a physical viewpoint, and yet my case manager took it upon herself to IGNORE those medico-legal certificates and literally PUSH ME OVER THE EDGE by forcing me to attend vocationals, then God-knows how many psych IME assessments “to assess my capacity to engage in rehab and return to work”, even though my arm was literally hanging out of its socket. My case manager was even so stupid as to write to me, after my last reconstruction had broken down and she had received yet another request for major urgent surgery, that “she is not interested in my physical condition / deterioration”.
Dealing with workcover can be extremely stressful and overwhelming.Dealing with workcover can be extremely overwhelming and stressful. We feel it is very important for you, (and anyone else in a similar situation) especially now, to seek immediate professional psychological support (counseling). All you need to do is to go to your GP and simply explain the way you FEEL (i.e. frustrated, depressed, angry etc) and ask for a referral to a psychologist. As long as your symptoms (i.e. depression) are a direct result of your workplace injury (which they clearly are), workcover (QBE) has to pay for your psych treatment/counseling. To read more about what your entitlements are, click here.
Unfortunately we do not yet have an injured workers support group (meetings) in Melbourne (Vic), however the IWSN (John) and myself are working VERY HARD to get this in place as soon as possible. Currently support meetings are held monthly in NSW and prove very popular and beneficial. If you win a little on the lottery, you may want to fly out to Sydney to attend such a fabulous meeting.
In the meantime, we do offer you to join our supportive, friendly, caring and funny injured workers forum. Our popular injured workers forum is a great place to meet and interact with fellow injured workers who understand you and what you are going through. You can seek (and offer) support, get to know people, make friends and even chat (online chat facility). You can even start your own on-line diary (very therapeutic!). All you have to do is register with the forum and off you go.
If you need help with your claim, please know that you are always welcome to post a question on our “need help” page, where we and our readers and supporters really go the extra mile to help you answer your question(s) and guide you along the way.
Of course, we also advise all injured workers to seek legal advice (and representation) early on after a workplace injury. Fact is without legal representation (no win no fee), you are simply not going to succeed in obtaining the benefits you are legitimately entitled to. Insurers know this and will take advantage of this, big time.
Remember that you are not alone and that we are all here to support you in any way we possibly can.
[post dictated and then entered by T on behalf of WCV]
http://wp.me/p1MA9G-3bq
Welcome to the real life!
I too am looking for a meeting forum in Victoria and I hope some helpful people will organise for it.
Don’t let the scum bags from the insurance take yo down, just go for taxi or ANYTHING else you need and don’t worry about asking any permission to the criminals working at the insurance company.
I do understand you have to use your own money for any expenses PLUS they cut your salary off, this is where the insurance plays with!
Bare in mind that your Employer is the insurance’s CUSTOMER and they will do every thing they can to take you health down!
If you can afford it, just go for any medicaments you need and pay with your pocket. I know it’s a pain but at the end the insurer MUST pay everything otherwise they must explain to a Magistrate Court why the hell they denied your basic rights!
Do you have a premium insurance in your super fund? If so apply for weekly payments from there, they MUST pay!
What always amazes me about stories like this is the lack of action from the AMA. Why do they think it is ok for untrained case managers to offer psychological councelling, make medical decisions and offer advise on matters that are the domain of specialists. I used to have endless arguments with my case managers about this, they are NOT trained doctors !!! If the organisation which represents doctors approve of this (and they must because they have not voiced opposition to it), then why not allow witch doctors to get medicare rebates, how about home surgery? and we should ignore their continual protests about alternative medicine as anyone can be a doctor. Any other professional group would be outraged at amateurs practicing their skills and trade. Imagine getting an untrained lawyer to take on your case? How about an unskilled builder building your house? Or a taxi driver without a license driving you to meetings with IMEs. The AMA should be aware that if they continue to tolerate this, then the end result is the denigration of their profession
I forgot to add it is ILLEGAL in Australia to practice medicine without a license.
That means you haven’t been to Chinatown. Things appear nice on paper but not in reality.
@Phil you’re off the track!
You should know the difference between a registered Doctor who is authorised to prescribe medicines and a common practitioner who has no Legal means to do so BUT they can still sell herbs or offer you a massage.
Here we’re talking about stupid white collars working for insurers who have the power to decide you live or you die!
I hope you’re aren’t one of them.
Please accept my apologies mate if I couldn’t clarify myself well. However, I have seen people impersonating as doctors, even issuing medical certificates without having a registration number. Even I have even seen workers working 12-14 hours shift for as little as 5 dollars per hour or less in the same vicinity and I’m not talking about junior staff. Only workcover doesn’t know about it, all I could say.
The IMEs work for insurers aren’t Gods. They can only express their opinion and act as temporary gods. This can only delay your claim, that’s all. Mostly these are set aside in the courts as their typical approach is – deny your claim no matter how. Do not worry till this stage as this is a start.
Fight back. Get another report from your own doctor or specialist. Currently the WCC accepts the reports which follows the guidelines of AMA volume V. Trust me, every court will take that report in consideration before making a decision. You can have this faith in judiciary.
I have seen many workers’ comments here and as being one of them, I can say they all are nervous, shocked and scared with the uncertainty of their future. I’m not a solicitor, but let me assure you things have to change in our favour. Let the smoke clear first.