More Insight on Florida Work Comp's Effects On Innocent, Injured Workers

Mr Noyes,

Your comments are greatly appreciated! As one who works within this "system" on behalf of those of us who have been injured, you have certainly seen how this destroys not only the self esteem of the individual worker, but how families are torn apart and many of the injured wind up alone, homeless and without the medical care that they so deserve. But it certainly protects those who put their employees in harm's way, causing many of the injuries to begin with. Sure would like to see some statistic here on how many injuries were caused through employee carelessness and others by work conditions. I know what caused mine!

I would truly like to know what the suicide rate among injured employees is in the state of Florida, but I have not been able to find any stats on that subject. Is this a well hidden secret or is this information available in a place where I have not yet looked? If you or anyone else can help me to find this, I would greatly appreciate it.

Just a glance at the forums which have been setup for work comp victims online show the wide range of suffering that so many are being put through just because they suffered a legitimate injury at work. Not to mention the indignities!

When you become "one of those work comp people", you are stripped of your previous life, no matter how much you contributed to your community, church and childrens' clubs. You become - in the words of the work comp attorneys - a malingerer, a user, a taker, etc. No matter how far from the truth these adjectives may be, you must sit and take them, because reaching across a table and snatching the hair off some work comp attorney's or adjustor's head would be considered an assault of some kind.

I worked hard for 25+ years. Call me a malingerer? You need a vacation where the sun don't shine!

You mentioned the need for the injured employees to get together in Tallahassee. The work comp adjustors would have a field day with that one! They would hit the attending employees with all kinds of trumped up charges in order to again withold medications, wage loss checks and other benefits. Heaven forbid if an injured employee should tell anyone outside of the "system - how it really is! Isn't that also one of the reasons why an employee who settles must sign a gag order?

It is very clear that the legislature has passed laws making it even more difficult for an injured employee to get representation - someone who understands the laws to help them get medical treatment and appropriate income. Remember the canaries who were put into cages and sent down into the coal mines? When they quit singing, it meant they were dead from gases in the mine shafts. Well, the work comp system in Florida doesn't seem to have much more respect for the injured employees than was given to those little canaries. Here, injured employee, climb into this cage and when we have sent you down into enough mine shafts, we might let you see some sunlight - or maybe not.

Do the people who make these laws and the the insurance adjustors who condemn sick employees to go without medications ever think about the results of their actions? Somehow, I don't think so - and I bet they do not know how beautiful the song of the Canary can be on a sunny day.

Florida Work Comp System - A Fine Example of Corruption

How about if our state legislators look past the insurance company lobbyists long enough to see the devastating effects that their legislative rulings have caused for injured employees and their families?

Has anyone taken the time to look at at the horrible abuse that goes on daily to multitudes of innocent, injured workers by insurance company adjustors in Florida through holding back doctor prescribed medications and treatments (causing further illnesses) in order to make an injured employee accept a low settlement that will not even cover their medications or to just give up and go away. Or how treating doctors who are "manipulated" by work comp attorneys into dropping a patient's case or diagnosis, so that a hired doc who is insurance friendly can write a report the way the insurance company wants it to read?

Just how many of these innocent people have given up by ending their own lives? That lets the insurance company off the financial hook!

Are there any legislators who care about the injured - or do the injured not have enough money to contribute to political campaigns?

Well, I think it is time to start looking at some of these tactics and some of those who are involved in the abuse of innocent, injured employees! Stay Tuned!!!

In Memory Of The 25 Crew Members Of The USS Westchester County And Their Families – Ship & Crew Lost On November 1, 1968

As the result of enemy action, on November 1, 1968, the United States Navy suffered it's greatest loss of life in a single incident as the result of enemy action during the entire Vietnam War. At 0322 two very large mines were detonated on the starboard side of LST-1167 killing twenty five.

Most Americans have never heard of the U.S.S. Westchester County, or knew this incident ever occurred. During your visit to this web page you will read the names of those that were killed that morning. You will view Official JAG photos of the aftermath from the November 1st attack never before publicly published. You will hear how a devastated crew fought to avoid an even greater loss of life. And you will learn about the naval history of this great American fighting ship and the many awards she won.

This page is dedicated to the twenty five who lost their lives in the service of this country, and to the preservation of their story.
http://jerebeery.com/Wesco%20Page.htm

Please Join Me In A Salute To These Heroes:

U.S.S. WESTCHESTER COUNTY Crew
Killed In Action on November 1, 1968
SA, Jackie Charles Carter
SK1, Richard Certez Cartwright
QM2, Chester Donald Dale
RD3, Keith William Duffy
SMSN, Timothy Charles Dunning
PN2, David Gleasen Fell
ETN2, Thomas George Funke
RM3, Gerald Eugene Booth Hamm
QMSN, Floyd William Houghtaling
SK1, Aristotoles Del Rosario Ibanez
YN1, Jerry Smith Leonard
RM3, Joesph Anthony Miller
RM1, Rodney Walter Peters
YN3, Cary Frank Rundle
RM3, Reinhard Joseph Schnurrer
QM2, Thomas Herbert Smith
CS1, Anthony Richard Torcivia
*
RIVER ASSAULT DIVISION 111
Killed in Action aboard U.S.S. WESTCHESTER COUNTY
November 1, 1968
EN3, Harry John Kenny
*
U.S. ARMY, Ninth Infantry Division
Killed in Action aboard U.S.S. WESTCHESTER COUNTY
November 1, 1968
SP4, Leslie Von Bowman
SP4, Wilfredo Cintron-Mendez
PCF, Ernest Frissel Cook Jr.
SP4, Paull David Jose
SGT, Dennis Kenneth O’Connor
*
Vietnamese Forces
Killed in Action aboard U.S.S. WESTCHESTER COUNTY
November 1, 1968
1- Vietnamese sailor, VNN - (Unidentified)
1- Vietnamese Interpreter, ARVN – (Unidentified)

I served aboard the U.S.S. WESTCHESTER COUNTY from September of 1965 until July of 1967. Several of the sailors killed on November 1, 1968 were former shipmates and friends of mine. The information and photos appearing on this page were compiled by me while researching the Mining Incident for my screenplay "Smoke on the Water". If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Jere Beery

God Bless America and Those Who Go In Harm’s Way To Protect our Freedom & Our Country – Past, Present, Future!

Phew - Up & Running???

I guess this is the first post to take a look through my rose colored glasses. Well, in reality, it is the second, as I wrote the welcome note in the side column first :)
That note really says it all for now.

I have had fun putting this little blog - I will have to come up with another nickname for it - together. It was a bit overwhelming when I first opened it up, but I have to say that Blogger.com made this very user friendly.

My Toy Poodles - Snowball & Buffy - who you will undoubtedly hear a lot about are totally crashed and that is looking awfully good about now. So I am going to sign off for now and will see if looking at everything after some sleep will find me leaving all as is or going back to make some changes.

At any rate, if you happen to drop by in the meantime, thank you for visiting. Have a safe night and if you are one to pray, please say a prayer for our troops and their families.

God Bless,
Judi