Congratulations Governor Elect Jerry Brown!
Although I am no longer a California resident, I continue to have a vested interest in California politics. My family still lives in Northern California. My sister works for the Department of Justice in Redding, and my father is a prisoner of the current Workman's Compensation laws in California.
My father used to be an appliance repair man. As a victim of the recession in the early 80s and a young father, he dropped out of college to rush into this field to support his family and, after 2 decades, ended up with myriad spinal injuries. He began his foray into the Workman's Compensation system in 1999, before the laws changed. The surgery that doctors recommended he get for his injuries didn't work (it would later come to light that the surgery he was given was inappropriate for his type of injury). He has been in agonizing pain for years, with his case still hanging in limbo. He cannot get out of the system to see doctors who will help him because of the laws Governor Schwarzenagger enacted retroactively. GAB Robins, the insurance company, will not pay for the services that do actually relieve his pain, such as massage therapy. Some people on Workman's Comp have committed suicide while waiting for their cases to settle.
I wish I had clearer details of his case to tell you, but whenever I ask him, the stress of this decade long situation comes crashing down on him and his pain gets worse. Please, as Governor of California, make Workman's Compensation a priority, for the thousands of injured Californians who, like my father, are trapped in a corrupt insurance game.
Thank you for your time, and I wish California all the best under your leadership,
Sarah Stroman
Portland, Oregon
Although I am no longer a California resident, I continue to have a vested interest in California politics. My family still lives in Northern California. My sister works for the Department of Justice in Redding, and my father is a prisoner of the current Workman's Compensation laws in California.
My father used to be an appliance repair man. As a victim of the recession in the early 80s and a young father, he dropped out of college to rush into this field to support his family and, after 2 decades, ended up with myriad spinal injuries. He began his foray into the Workman's Compensation system in 1999, before the laws changed. The surgery that doctors recommended he get for his injuries didn't work (it would later come to light that the surgery he was given was inappropriate for his type of injury). He has been in agonizing pain for years, with his case still hanging in limbo. He cannot get out of the system to see doctors who will help him because of the laws Governor Schwarzenagger enacted retroactively. GAB Robins, the insurance company, will not pay for the services that do actually relieve his pain, such as massage therapy. Some people on Workman's Comp have committed suicide while waiting for their cases to settle.
I wish I had clearer details of his case to tell you, but whenever I ask him, the stress of this decade long situation comes crashing down on him and his pain gets worse. Please, as Governor of California, make Workman's Compensation a priority, for the thousands of injured Californians who, like my father, are trapped in a corrupt insurance game.
Thank you for your time, and I wish California all the best under your leadership,
Sarah Stroman
Portland, Oregon
Yay Sara! This is awesome!
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