Tennessee man fights for workers’ compensation
Men and women injured on the job are entitled to a certain amount of compensation. Workers’ compensation programs are designed to provide this compensation for injured employees. However, this process does not always run smoothly. Over the last several years, a Tennessee man has faced difficulty over workers compensation claims with his former employer.
According to reports, the truck driver was involved in an accident while running a load to Missouri wherein he sustained a back injury. He was denied workers compensation from his employer because he initially declined medical treatment. Originally he believed his injuries to be minor in nature. However, as the months passed, his back pain began to gradually increase.
At one point, the driver declined running a route because his back pain had grown so intense he could not endure the time in the truck. He subsequently told his employer he believed he needed to see a doctor. However, the company did not offer the driver an option to seek medical treatment or provide him with a panel of doctors for consultation. Shortly thereafter, the company fired him.
The driver obtained new employment and received health insurance benefits that allowed him to visit a doctor eight months after the accident. Over a six-week period of time, he saw the doctor on five different occasions. His pain was constant and became progressively worse. Then two years later, an MRI revealed a herniated disc and degenerative disc disease.
In the years following the accident, the driver lost several jobs as a result of his back pain and his inability to perform certain tasks. The driver finally took his case to the court system where it was ruled that the truck company did not handle the proceedings properly. Men and women who are facing problems with workers’ compensation claims in Tennessee may find comfort in the fact that workers’ compensation appeals often turn out in the injured employee’s favor.
Source: Hr.blr.com, Was Truck Driver Eligible for Workers’ Comp After Accident?, Associated Press, 14 Jun, 2011