Injured at Work

[nastysituation]

What is the name of your state? PA In October of this year I fell down the steps outside of my work place, X-work place, (shoe caught on broken chipped away step) when leaving and had garbage bags in my hands and I had on tennis shoes. I twisted my lower back. I came home called my Program Director and told her and she ask if anyone seen me. I said no. She said I needed to go back to work and feel out papers and then go to the ER. My husband took me to my work place and paper work was done. I went to the ER and they did x-rays but couldn't find anything. Just that I sprained and strained my lower back. The pain was terrible. I went to their doctor and he put me on modified duty. I worked with troubled youths that could be restrained at any given time. There were only two of us on shift at nite and if a restraint had to be done not one person could do it. He didn't even give me anything for pain. He said do ice and heat. Well guess what that didn't help. It was hard for me to sit, bend, squat, get up and down out of a chair and sometimes even walk. I could hardly drive and take care of my personal needs such as kids, cleaning, or even dress my self. I had to have help. I even went to my family doctor due to their doctor not given me anything for pain. After about 3 visits to their doctor he finally decided that I need physical therapy. They denied that. Eleven days later I quit my job. They called me and said they would not approve anymore visits to the doctor. I got a letter from their insurance company wanting me to sign for them to get medical records. I had no problem doing that. I got a bill yesterday and called to see why it was not paid and was informed that my bills were denied by ex employer and their insurance company saying that this was not a work related injury. It happened there. More bills are yet to come. Can they denie this since I quit? Where do I go from here? Do I need to get an attorney? Please help ASAP?

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

What is the name of your state? PA In October of this year I fell down the steps outside of my work place, X-work place, (shoe caught on broken chipped away step) when leaving and had garbage bags in my hands and I had on tennis shoes. I twisted my lower back. I came home called my Program Director and told her and she ask if anyone seen me. I said no. She said I needed to go back to work and feel out papers and then go to the ER. My husband took me to my work place and paper work was done. I went to the ER and they did x-rays but couldn't find anything. Just that I sprained and strained my lower back. The pain was terrible. I went to their doctor and he put me on modified duty. I worked with troubled youths that could be restrained at any given time. There were only two of us on shift at nite and if a restraint had to be done not one person could do it. He didn't even give me anything for pain. He said do ice and heat. Well guess what that didn't help. It was hard for me to sit, bend, squat, get up and down out of a chair and sometimes even walk. I could hardly drive and take care of my personal needs such as kids, cleaning, or even dress my self. I had to have help. I even went to my family doctor due to their doctor not given me anything for pain. After about 3 visits to their doctor he finally decided that I need physical therapy. They denied that. Eleven days later I quit my job. They called me and said they would not approve anymore visits to the doctor. I got a letter from their insurance company wanting me to sign for them to get medical records. I had no problem doing that. I got a bill yesterday and called to see why it was not paid and was informed that my bills were denied by ex employer and their insurance company saying that this was not a work related injury. It happened there. More bills are yet to come. Can they denie this since I quit? Where do I go from here? Do I need to get an attorney? Please help ASAP?

My response:

It wasn't work related. By your own admission you "fell down the steps outside of my work place". At best, you have a premises liability action against the building owner.

IAAL

 

[nastysituation]

Do I go after the building owner

How do I go about getting the building owner to be responsible for the bills? I do have pictures of the steps, by the way.

 

[cbg]

Were you covered by health insurance at the time of the accident?

I can't give you any information about suing the building owner for your medical bills. But I can tell you that if you had health insurance on the day of the accident (regardless of whether you still have it or not) and you send them the bills with a copy of the denial letter from the workers comp carrier, it's about 99.99% sure they'll pay them.

 

[nastysituation]

Covered under husbands insurance

I did not have health insurance through my work. I'm only covered under my husbands work. How do I get a letter of denial?

 

[cbg]

It doesn't matter whether it's your insurance or your husband's insurance. As long as you were covered on the day of the accident, that's all that matters.

Call the employer and/or the workers comp carrier and ask for a copy of the denial letter. Tell them that you need it to submit the bills to the health insurance. They'll be less likely to give you a hard time if they know it's for that reason and not because you plan to give them a hard time about it.

 

[nastysituation]

Thanks for the information CBG

I apprecitate your help with my question. I just didn't know that my insurance would cover it. One more thing, would it be better to go after the building owner? The building is not owned by the company I worked for.

 

[cbg]

If you go through your own health insurance, as long as you provide them with copies of all the bills and can show them that workers comp has denied it, it is about 99.99% certain that they will just go ahead and pay the bills.

The building owner is not going to simply accept responsibility. He's going to take it for granted that the accident was your fault, not his, and he's going to fight. You may well end up having to get lawyers involved (you have to pay lawyers). It's going to take a long time and be a lot of aggravation, and in the meantime those bills have to get paid somehow.

Now, you tell me which is "better".

 

[nastysituation]

My Insurance

Thanks for the information. You are right about the property owner. I will do what you said and get all the info and denial letter and forward it to my insurance company. Thanks again. You really helped me alot. I thought I would have to pay all the bills myself. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. God Bless You and your Family.