A Day in the Life: Riverside Electrician Can't Get Medical Care Three Years After His Injury on Job--Asks California Insurance Commissioner to Investigate

What has happened to Greg and those like Greg is an outrage. Something needs to be done to rectify the curent situation he is in and to make sure that those that are injured in the future are not treated in the same manner. What is so sad, is that even if the State works on getting him the care he has needed all this time, the damage is done. Damage to him and his family that was unnecesary if the system had worked the way it is suppose to. Good Luck to you, Greg......My prayers will be with you and your family.

What has happened to Greg and those like Greg is an outrage. Something needs to be done to rectify the curent situation he is in and to make sure that those that are injured in the future are not treated in the same manner. What is so sad, is that even if the State works on getting him the care he has needed all this time, the damage is done. Damage to him and his family that was unnecesary if the system had worked the way it is suppose to. Good Luck to you, Greg......My prayers will be with you and your family.

What has happened to Greg and those like Greg is an outrage. Something needs to be done to rectify the curent situation he is in and to make sure that those that are injured in the future are not treated in the same manner. What is so sad, is that even if the State works on getting him the care he has needed all this time, the damage is done. Damage to him and his family that was unnecesary if the system had worked the way it is suppose to. Good Luck to you, Greg......My prayers will be with you and your family.

What has happened to Greg and those like Greg is an outrage. Something needs to be done to rectify the curent situation he is in and to make sure that those that are injured in the future are not treated in the same manner. What is so sad, is that even if the State works on getting him the care he has needed all this time, the damage is done. Damage to him and his family that was unnecesary if the system had worked the way it is suppose to. Good Luck to you, Greg......My prayers will be with you and your family.

Injured workers like Greg Parr should never suffer without needed medical treatment for three years. That's why the state Division of Workers' Compensation has a process to bring these kinds of cases before workers' comp judges on an expedited basis. Any worker who has been denied medical treatment in their workers' comp claim has the right to see a judge within 30 days. The DWC has a guide and form that explain this process posted on line at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/iwguides/IWGuide06.pdf. The DWC is also working to ensure that reviews of medical treatment done by claims administrators--known as utilization review--are done correctly. Earlier this year the DWC finalized penalites that apply to those who abuse the system, which was put in place to ensure workers get proper treatment. The DWC posted a complaint form on its Web site at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/UR_Main.htm so that injured workers, their representatives, doctors or others encountering utilization review problems can file a complaint with the state. The DWC also posted an extensive set of answers to frequently asked questions so claims administrators understand their role and responsibilities in this process. The state provides free services through its Information and Assistance Unit for injured workers who are not represented by attorneys. More information on those services, along with a schedule of workshops for injured workers and a set of fact sheets and guides, can be found at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/IandA.html or by calling 1-800-736-7401.

HI, I am in the very same situation as Greg Parr. I wish you the Best Greg. ( My Prayer go out to you and your children ) Greg, I am * even approved * for my major lower back surgery. Approved about july of 2006. I still haven't gotten it.( today is Oct 20th 2007 ) Similar to Greg I developed (many complications) waiting even for approval for over two years. Their nightmare balance and check system. Two Neurosurgeons have both stated i will most likely have to have a fushion surgery after i finally get the first approved surgery on my lower back. Like Greg how do we even eat awaiting this.
Like Greg Parr our money for temporary disability just runs out after two years. My loan like Greg is receiving now, ran out May 14, 2007. I have had no income since. Over 5 months now. I am approaching homelessness very fast. Workmans Comp knows this. ( injury date may of 2004 ) Per Workmans comp , they have now paid us, even a loan against our finaly settlement for wage loss adjustments. We use this money to live on as we await more of their denials. We can expect to receive not another penny.
Susan Gard mentions alot for fighting them/appealing. If you fought them on everything you would be doing nothing but having hearings. They deny and argue so much. delay, Its a total Joke..I have had to have hearings and they just drag everything out even longer. Dr shortage means we wait sometimes over 5 months to see a DR. They send us to Their DRs over 100 miles away claiming no one qualified is in our local area.. We wait 5 plus months to see their DR's.
Like Greg how do i even live and eat if i was lucky enough to have my approved surgery tomorrow. Then if i need the fushion they are denying. Again. where do I live and how do I eat awaiting this whole approval process again.
They said I will need quite a bit of therapy too after my surgery. The Voucher Bill for retraining Governor Arnold just veto'd . How do I afford to go to any kind of retraining . I will get my Voucher for retraining after im living under a bridge after surgery.
( PASS THE BUCK TO MAKE INS COMPANIES BILLIONS ) Truth seems to be they are shoving us truely hurt toward State Disibilty. ( which you must show income two years prior to applying >> like unemployment ) And shoving people to local welfare food stamps, Applying for Social Security Disability. they know time is completely on thier side. Look at Greg Parr and myself.
I have applied for Social Security Disability. Like a huge majority, same as workmans comp. DENIED. You have to appeal. Go through now SSDI's balance and check system. People are dieing now awaiting SSDI approval. I am now 1 year and 3 months into the SSDI approval system. I am awaiting a hearing that in California will be a MINUMUM of a 13 month wait now. I may have close to 28 months ( 2 years and 4 months ) wait in SSDI's balance and check system. As more now are forced to apply unfixed like Greg and I. Expect way longer waits for each process of SSDI.
Since SSDI denied me in the first go around. YOU DO NOT EVEN QUALIFY THEN FOR ANY KIND OF COUNTY AIDE TO HELP YOU. SSDI and the county and Medi-cal and all are tied together. Since I do not even have 1 dependant i do not even qualify for food stamps.
Why is the American tax payer going to be burdened by CA injured workers.( on SSDI ) Why ISNT Arnold taking care of us truely hurt like he promised.
They did not fix the machine at all. Greg and I are proof ! Even all the new bills they tried getting through do not help Greg parr and I. From what I seen they just tried to change some for people hurt after 2008. Means simply. Greg and his children could very well be homeless and unfix like I am very soon.
Good Luck Greg and My Prayers go out to you and your children. Please someone wake up and pay attention before there are thousands and thousands like Greg , His children, and I. Homeless and unfixed. Governor Arnolds new laws are just now starting to effect LOTS OF US. I see more weekly on Forums and Message boards seeking help, Scared like we are :(

I too am a "victim" of the workers comp fiasco. I was injured in 3/04 with a back injury. Since that time, I have had to deal with denial after denial for treatment, medications, specialist, therapy etc... I even have had to deal with the WCAB (it took 6 months to get a status conference even though we asked for an expedited hearing.) and that was a complete nightmare. I have gone threw 2 insurance companies, 4 adjusters, 3 different defense councils and numerous doctors. It took 3 tries with the WCAB before, I was finally given the ability to maintain treatment with my pain specialist (who was an agreed medical provider, but not on the MPN) and see a psych doc that had been recommended by the defense QME 2 years ago. Even after getting a signed agreement with my attorney, defense council and the judge, there was still a fight with the adjuster who felt that she didn't have to follow the order. In the meantime, here I sit, in pain, no recourse, unable to return to work and out of money. I want to get the hell out of California, but I can't even pretend to try and move. The governor needs to get a clue injured workers CANNOT survive like this. We need to have access to proper medical treatment in an expedited manner, we need to have proper therapy and not just the "24" visit bit. We need to be able to obtain medications that are recommended without having to get prior authorizations. We need to have a better wage to survive off of. The ttd and pd rates need to be increased. I could go on and on... I am so tired of this fight and want it to be over, but NOT until I have the proper treatment. I am a US Citizen, I pay my taxes, I obey the laws, and yet... I have seen illegal people (people that come here illegally, just to clarify that statement)receive more treatment than I do. Where is the justice in that. I hope that one day this will all be done with and just a really bad nightmare. I wish you all luck and keep fighting, we can't let "them" win.

Hi
I have been looking for any follow up on Greg Parr. Does anyone know if his press conference in Riverside made a difference and helped him ? Thanks , Terry

If california is a no fault state then why does the the employee carry the burden of proving that the injury is industrial based. And when that is established. The employee is then fired.

I have gone through the same lies and denial as others when after a twisted knee I was treated by the clinic the contractor sent me to, and after being laid off two weeks later was denied benefits by Zürich due to there contention that I never mentioned the injury until I was laid off.This was a direct lie by the safety man for the contractor.I also found out they never filed a workmans comp case but used a private clinic.
After trying to fight the system and not finding an attorney that would represent me I gave up and paid for medical care out of my own pocket.If I did not have money I would be broke and would have lost everything. I was even told by Zurich that it was illegal for me to get private care from my private insurance Co. I had nothing left but use my own money and send them a letter after I recovered to kiss my butt. I never wanted money just medical care for my knee.

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