WCB Report Files
I made a presentation to the Saskatchwan Workmans Compensation Review Panel. Their report left out much of what I had to say so I am putting it here:
1) Case workers make patients worse and obstruct medical care:
One deadly tactic is to force a patient back to work or to inappropriate rehab just to see what will happen. I call it deadly because one of my patients with MRI evidence of a hot disc lesion was forced into inappropriate rehab and died 2 weeks later of his heart condition. I call this tactic “the Shakedown”.
Family physicians must be allowed to administer medical care without interference.
2) In Chronic Pain as little as 10% of cases are diagnosable by conventional examination, CT and MRI. If one wants to make a diagnosis discograms and selective nerve root blocks are necessary but are not made available to patients. hence patients are regularly terminated because “nothing was found”.
3) MRI’s and CT rarely are of use in CHRONIC pain and do not show the source of pain. Yet negative results are used to conclude the patient is faking
4) WCB recruits doctors who have similar outlooks to themselves. Without discograms, selective facet blocks, and selective nerve root blocks, they are not operating on tangible evidence; they are operating on their “feelings” on the matter. As disability ratings vary by over 30% by doctors, these feeling can be very inaccurate. The tragedy legacy of cancer patient pain undertreatment underscores how poorly doctors rate pain levels. Operating on feelings is a scam.
5) Multiple causes of chronic pain are missed by WCB who are supposed to give the patient the benefit of the doubt but do not.
6) Honesty tests like Waddell signs and consistency testing lack “consistency” and are invalid yet still used. They are as valid as witchhunting.
witchhunt.doc
7) Psychological decompensation is to be expected in certain chronic pain conditions but is used to contend it is all in their head…
8) Computer testing for “suitable jobs” does not take into effect many patients have multiple things the matter with them above their main diagnosis and may be socially and otherwise handicapped. A supreme court case in Quebec made it clear handicap had to include ALL problems. There is no evidence counselling someone on a job possibility makes it happen in disabled cases. Canada Disability pension criteria had to be modified to include not just suitable jobs but AVAILABLE and giving sustantive gainful employment - measures ignored by WCB who will terminate cases for any excuse. I call this the “you could be a funeral director” scam.
9) People who don’t get better can be labelled as “Fibromyalgia” even by specialists. This diagnosis cannot be made in the face or injuries and has a very poor consistency record from doctor to doctor in the literature; it cannot be used to terminate benefits where there is doubt.
10) Several legal precedents have been made in the supreme court re WCB:
- Chronic pain without identifiable cause cannot be treated any different than other patient (Nova Scotia 2001)
- Chronic pain is a valid WCB claim and recompensable. Supreme court 2005
- Handicap includes more than just the original injury Supreme court Quebec
- A worker can refuse rehab s/he deems in inapproppriate without being cut off WCB
In an Alberta WCB Case it was ruled that a patient during appeal had the right to cross examine WCB doctors (who are working on their “feelings”) in the conduct of “natural justice”
11) The AMA Guide for disability is old - made before interventional techniques could more determine the cause of back and neck pains. It does not have ratings for chronic pain and does not take age or occupation into account when determining disability. Various Canadian provinces and for example California have had to make changes to how disability ratings are made; this needs to be legislated in Saskatchewan or will be backward and frankly illegally treat chronic pain patients of underdetermine cause (conveniently made by lack of appropriate testing).
Popularity: 27% [?]
August 31st, 2007 at 7:24 am
How is it possible that injured workers are being denied tests that Physicans ask for to diagnose injuries, by case managers who have no medical training. This is the most ass/backwards system that I have ever seen. Injured workers are not being treated fairly. Picture this, you have just suffered a work injury severe enough to require surgery. Your workers compensation agent denies the request for test to determine injury, and then states that your injury is just minor and you need to go back to work and work through the pain as pain in not a indicator of the severity of the injury. This is stupid. Why does the Government allow this to happen. ASK your MLA before you vote in the next election.
September 2nd, 2007 at 9:21 pm
I couldnt agree with you more as i have suffered in chronic pain for ten years. wonder wehn wcb is going ot change policy to accept chronic pain as we are the last prvince i belive after the supreme court ruling. maybe have to do like that girl in alberta and sue.
September 8th, 2007 at 6:32 am
I agree totally with the above statements as a injured worker in Saskatchewan I have been subjected to abusive case manager who is basically practicing medicine without a licence. I suffered a severe injury,
and was sent back to work with a undiagnosed fractured vertebrae/ shoulder injury/tailbone injury. I was prescribed bottles and bottles of 120- T3’s
and told to work through the pain. Being the sole provider of my family of 4, I had no choice as my family and I would have been homeless almost immediately. Upon returning to work I was in severe pain, the physican who was treating me didn’t even order a x-ray or F/A. Pills, Pills, Pills.
was what he beleived in. (I’m not sure but I think the Doc gets paid by the amount of prescriptions they write.) Regardless, the Doc wanted me back in physiotherapy, DENIED by WCB case manager. Again was told no reason for my pain. WCB Sask is a insurance co. that minimizes your injury, if a Doc requests tests to determine your injury this is blantly DENIED. WCB is a ASS/Backwards company which clearly only cares for profits and couldn’t give a shit about injured workers. Due to the treatment
(Should be lack of treatment) I am in chronic pain and WCB physicans are employed to say there’s no reason for pain. These are my injuries.
2- 1/2 yrs to get a mri to diagnose shoulder injury, due to WCB interference with my injury claim. 1 - 1/2 years to get a mri for my undiagnosed fractured vertebrae that my case manager at wcb stated there was no reason for pain, and sent me back to work. However the fracture which was causing pain was never investigated, a team of specialists which I pleaded for diagnostic tests too investigate my pain stated I just needed physiotherapy. (Paid $2000 to come to this conclusion) WCB contract Doctors. I will take no more BS from the WCB cronies and am prepared to fight in court and will be filing multiple lawsuits
immediately. Due to the BS from useless crooks.
October 6th, 2007 at 10:09 am
For some reason I have been unable to access the information under the headlines until now, I have serious problems with the way WCB has treated me and my injuries, these entries made by this medical doctor prove, conclusively, what sick and injured citizens in Saskatchewan and Canada are subject to. This must change ASAP.
The writer of these articles has provided a glimpse of what is happening. People with or without vast sums of money are subject to unbelievable disadvantage in having their injury or disease diagnosed. Secondary Traumatization of injured workers is occurring at an alarming rate. Discrimination in this system is very frequent. Physiotherapy Centers are bending to WCB instructions even if they do not believe it is in their patient’s best interest, they pressure injured workers without fear of lawsuit due to Government Legislation and some, could care less if they cause further injury to the patient. My recommendations for rehabilitation by a neurosurgeon were basically laughed at by WCB and I was progressed without proper diagnoses which propelled me in a downward spiral that took many months to recover to my previous level of pain. I am a chronic pain suffer due to a work injury, my treatment (should be lack of treatment is deplorable) I wish everyone who reads this to accept my apology for my language in previous posts at this site. I was in tremendous pain and was tiring of my fight with everyone to obtain relief; This has finally been accomplished somewhat, through medical intervention and treatment for my 2004 work injury. Why it took 3 ½ yrs. Is a question that only can be synopsized by 3 words: WCB or (delay, deny, defend.) I truly hope for future improvement of my condition, as due to recent diagnoses treatment has begun. I sincerely applaud the writer of these articles as they demonstrate what Physicians and Injured and Sick Citizens of not only Canada but other nations face.
To the writer of this article: God Bless You, for your candid and informative article that reveals the tragedy of what has been allowed to happen to all in society. Please contact me at my email address as I wish to pay special homage and wish your guidance.
October 22nd, 2007 at 6:48 am
Check out the website, http://www.ciws.ca/
This is the undisputed, disabled workers headquarters in Canada which genuinely shows the exploitation of Power and Trust, Workers Compensation Boards blatantly perpetuate on defenseless disabled workers, who have suffered a work injury and are subjected to an insane corrupt power and money hungry organization that refuses to protect or administer the Meredith Principle that the Workers Compensation System in Canada was founded on.
October 30th, 2007 at 8:57 am
I have serious problems with the way WCB has treated me and my injuries, these entries made by this medical doctor prove, conclusively, what sick and injured citizens in Saskatchewan and Canada are subject to.
The writer of these articles has provided a glimpse of what is happening. People with or without vast sums of money are subject to unbelievable disadvantage in having their injury or disease diagnosed. Secondary Traumatization of injured workers is occurring at an alarming rate. Discrimination in this system is very frequent. Physiotherapy Centers are bending to WCB instructions even if they do not believe it is in their patient’s best interest, they pressure injured workers without fear of lawsuit due to Government Legislation and could care less if they cause further injury to the patient. My recommendations for rehabilitation by a neurosurgeon were basically laughed at by SASK WCB and I was progressed without proper diagnoses which propelled me in a downward spiral that took many months to recover to my previous level of pain. I am in chronic pain due to a work injury, my treatment (should be lack of treatment is deplorable) I sincerely applaud the writer of these articles as they demonstrate how Injured and Sick Citizens are subjected to an insane power and money hungry organization that refuses to follow the Meredith Principle that workers compensation boards were founded on, and have used legislation to deny disabled injured workers help.
God Bless You, for your candid and informative article that reveals the tragedy of what has been allowed to happen in society.
November 28th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Amazing review talking about WCB Report Files. Thoroughly love your articles.
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:22 am
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December 12th, 2007 at 9:25 am
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January 11th, 2008 at 2:17 am
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February 24th, 2008 at 11:25 am
(1) Listen-up, Everybody We are starting an injured workers class action against Saskatchewan WCB,,,,they have broken many TORT laws, and need to be held accountable….
Also, some of you Physicians/Specialists are providing substandard care to injured workers, you are not listening to our concerns,,,,we have injuries that are going undiagnosed, and are causing severe pain.
In the future we will be holding these physicians accountable! We will be initiating a three strikes and your out policy….We are tired of being kicked around in the Saskatchewan Medical System like footballs, and are tired of chasing around for medical care. BE WARNED….No More Bullshit
We will be setting up centre’s in 2008 to advise which of you Physicians / Specialists need to be held accountable, we realize ever body makes mistakes,
HOWEVER….some of you continually are guilty of falling below the minimum level of care….standard of care….negligent duty of care.
Pass this around to all your physician friends / co-workers / physiotherapist buddies…..be prepared to spend all your time in COURT as we are not going to take this shit and abuse any longer.
We advise you in the future……provide real examinations….do not bend to WCB instructions and place us injured workers in further peril.!
This will no longer be tolerated PERIOD……………. .
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I have read your website from start to finish. It truly amazes me with all the information you have provided. As an injured Saskatchewan worker, I ask why Sask WCB would not provide some of these tests for me. I have been returned to work on numerous occasions in severe pain and on naracotic meds that made my job dangerous not only for me but the general public.
Due to my injury not being fully diagnosed, and WCB convulting the medical evidence of injury, I suffered further injury which went undiagnosed for a further 2 years. I only wanted to work so I could support my family, this has resulted in me becoming frustrated, angry and disgusted with almost everyone. My family has now lost their main source of income, the stress is monumental..I have been plunged into multiple WCB appeals and am tired of the mental games that WCB intentionally inflicts on injured workers, (it seems that the injured workers needing the most help are denied) my injuries are real, however WCB discounts the severity and when they receive a report from a specialist, they twist and rewrite the report to downplay the severity of the injury, this is just ridiculous, and is borderline criminal.. Throughout this whole nightmare that I have been made to endure, never once has WCB stated that they were wrong or that they were sorry, they have finally admitted to some of the injuries but continue to discount others and are now again trying to force me into a physiotherapy program, which yes I need, but cannot do if all my injuries are not being treated…This is unexceptable as I cannot do these exercises without causing further injury…in physiotherapy I tried to get these problems addressed and was told that I’m not here for these injuries, only the ones that WCB has accepted! So we are again at a mexican standoff…me needing help, WCB wanting to progress me through a physiotherapy program that will further injury me..I guess this is where a Attorney is needed, however as an injured worker with basically no money to hire an Attorney I am left at a distinct disadvantage……
WCB knows full well that they have the upperhand and if I refuse to bend to their wishes they can just cutoff my benefits and plunge me into another round of appeals, again delaying medical treatment, diagnostic tests, and so-forth.. At this point, I am frustated/angry/disgusted nothing is being done for my benefit,, everything that is being done, is for WCB’s benefit..YES, I want to work, NO, I don’t want to suffer further injury.
I am already on pain meds, that have had to be changed 3 times as they have lost their ability to quell the pain..I am in chronic pain and KNOW what needs to be done, HOWEVER, WCB continually and intenionally avoids addressing these issue’s.. It is a sickening run-around, that has left me without help on many occasions.. I just want to be fixed as best as I can so I can have some kind of life.
March 10th, 2008 at 4:20 am
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March 15th, 2008 at 4:08 am
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April 1st, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Well done website..easy read..and give good info specific to claims. Thanks for the info on interviewing WCB docs as I will so enjoy this when I go to appeals. I am medically trianed and practiced for 30 odd years, and never believed I’d see such emotional abuse of claimants. WCB, CPP etc certainly have very large budjets to deal with issues that Family Doctors already have dealt with. Might be nice for medical centers to access such funds to put to good use…not just repetition of medical exams/tests that have already been done by the Family Physician. The insurer process is designed to wear down an already worn down individual. YES and YES, claimants should refuse all IME’s unless they have a recorder and observer.AND, as you note, never allow a treatment or test which could compromise an already compromised claimant. Regards
April 14th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I am desperately writing to you for advice, I suffered a multiple work injury which has not been fully recognized or treated and has left me in chronic pain. I am starting to fall into depression. I think about death as a way out of pain and a chance for my family to once again have a normal life. I cannot talk about my injuries as my family freaks out when they hear me mention WCB. My children cannot understand why their Dad cannot do things that we did together in the past. My friends and relatives constantly put me in positions that cause me pain, it is very hard for them to understand that I cannot sit for any length of time, and need to lay down for relief. My injuries are not recognizable as they are not visible to the naked eye, or even when I am naked. WCB is constantly trying to reassess the injuries that they have accepted, so that they can give me the boot off benefits. I would love to be at work, any job, however when you only sleep for 2-3 hrs. and then awake in pain, you are always exhausted. I recently started to take sleeping pills again to make me stay asleep but still awake in pain, but have had some success, as it is easier to get back to sleep. However the side effects leave me in a fog for several hours after awaking. I’ve tried to cut back the sleep meds but again end up exhausted from sleep deprivation. The stress that WCB has created for me is monumental and is hindering any recovery, it is a mental torture and leaves me exasperated. I cannot even look at my file anymore as it makes me sick, that I trusted so many with my recovery. I asked my physician for a referral to see a psychiatrist, hoping that this might be of help. He doesn’t think this is needed so I will not push for this help anymore. I would like to send you all my claim information ASAP, for your opinion as I want to go to the USA, maybe the Mayo Clinic or somewhere else that you might know about, my current physician has been extremely helpful, and knowledgeable in making me understand my injuries, however, WCB specialist’s reports are filled with inaccuracies blatantly made to minimize and marginalize my injuries. I have just read the latest report entered in my file and cannot believe that a professional specialist would stoop so low as to write about me and my injuries with such vile innuendoes. How can they look me in the face and say one thing and then write a report to WCB that is sent to my Primary Physician that they know is untrue and complete hogwash. I know you have a BIG heart as I have seen what you wrote about my entry at ciws.ca-“WCB troubles – what needs to be done.” I know that I may be in pain for the rest of my life, on meds that cause my brain to be fuzzy and in a fog, but I am determined to never give up and to try for a better life.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:27 am
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May 6th, 2008 at 7:08 am
Clearly shows how WCB here in Saskc’nuckastan is having their way with injured workers…No fricken tests just physiotherapy is supposed to be the cure for everything.. 3 times I have been subjected to their brand of treatment. 3 times I have been placed in physiotherapy and have had my injuries misdiagnosed and have suffered further injury/pain. Now WCB is again placing me in a physiotherapy program, undiagnosed and without an inkling of the damage to my body that I will suffer, this is beyond ridiculous. I know what my limitations are as I have lived with these work injuries going on 4 yrs. Each time i have been placed in physiotherapy my complaints have been cast aside, as no concern, and I have been told that I needed to work through the PAIN. In the beginning when I was newly injured and begged and pleaded for an MRI, I was told that I couldn’t get one, I offered to pay for this test myself and WCB went above and beyond their duty to make sure I never received help “NO TESTS WHATSOEVER” So this is how things stand as of now.
Lawsuit to be filed immediately, no more pussy-footin around, I’m sick and tired of WCB buying and paying specialist’s for their diagnose ” NO REASON FOR PAIN” All of the specialist’s who WCB has sent me to, when I stated my symptoms didn’t due any investigation, will now come to Court of Queens Bench to explain their lack of treatment of my injuries.
NO! I will not take this shit and abuse any longer, my physical condition is like walking a tight-rope, I am already in +4 pain constantly and on pain meds/muscle relaxants, sure I know I need physiotherapy. However I need to be properly diagnosed before being placed in a physiotherapy program so that my injuries and my health is not jeopardized further. My WCB case manager has stated that an assessment team would be needed to ascertain what tests would be needed to identify my injuries, I was told that the assessment team would be of great value so I attended and was injured further, 2 weeks I have suffered in +5 pain hoping the pain for my injuries would settle down, this hasn’t happened and the swelling from injury that I pointed out to the assessment team has not been investigated, WHY? Simple because WCB is a BAD FAITH insurance company who’s sole purpose is to DENY DENY DENY. I pity any other poor and injured worker who has to go through what I have, negligence is rampant throughout my whole claim file, sent back to work multiple times with undiagnosed injuries, only to suffer furthering of injuries and new injuries that have been DENIED treatment. This is not laughable, this is serious abuse of the injured worker, who in their right mind would subject an injured person to a program designed to cause further pain/disablement, and when problems occur in the physiotherapy program, their complaints are subjected to rude and slanderous comments by the physiotherapist. This is the way it works, 1st step file lawsuit for negligence and other tort law offenses, go to Queens Bench Court and win the case. WCB will appeal the verdict and it will go to the next level, Court of appeal, then it will go to the supreme court for FINAL RULING, be ready all involved at WCB and the medical community, I will have my DAY IN COURT, my case published for everyone to see just HOW badly this system is functioning, and how negligent WCB and their puppy-mill specialists truly are.. I am starting a website with You - Tube videos and the works so that no other injured worker will be subjected to these negligent professionals.
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July 3rd, 2008 at 1:33 am
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December 9th, 2008 at 12:54 am
EH DOC, I QUIT PHYSIOTHERAPY BECAUSE IT WAS MAKING ME WORSE, CAUSING EXCRUCIATING PAIN THAT LASTED FOR WEEKS DUE TO THEIR NON-TREATMENT OF MY 2 SPINAL INJURIES AND 2 SHOULDER INJURIES.
I AM TAKING 100 MGS OF OXYCONTIN TO MAKE THE PAIN BEARABLE AND GIVE ME SOME KIND OF LIFE. HOWEVER I HAVE TO TAKE VALIUM TO MAKE ME SLEEP AS I ALWAYS WAKE UP IN PAIN.
WCB HERE IN SASK, WANTS ME TO RETURN TO WORK AS A SEMI-TRUCK DRIVER AND SGI HAS TAKEN MY LICENSE, SO I DON’T SEE HOW THIS WOULD EVEN BE POSSIBLE, WITH ALL THE DOCUMENTATION OF MY INJURIES AND THE PROOF THAT I AM DISABLED, WCB STILL CUT ME OFF BENEFITS AND HAS AGAIN THRUST ME INTO MORE VEXATIOUS APPEALS, DESIGNED TO DRIVE ME CRAZY OR TORMENT ME INTO COMMITTING SUICIDE.
WHY IS THIS INSANITY ALLOWED TO CONTINUE?
IS OUR GOVERNMENT EVER GOING TO INVESTIGATE THE FRAUDULENT CORRUPTION THAT IS ALLOWED TO EXIST AT THE WORKERS COMPENSATION BOARD HERE IN SASKATCHEWAN?
WELL I GUESS IT IS EASIER TO SWEEP THE BULLSHIT UNDER THE RUG THAN IT IS TO INVESTIGATE AND CORRECT THIS BAD FAITH INSURANCE PROGRAM INSTITUTED BY THE EMPLOYEES AT THE SASK WCB.
I HAVE DECIDED THAT IF I EVER WANT TO HAVE A CHANCE FOR A NORMAL LIFE EVER, I MUST GO OUTSIDE SASKATCHEWAN FOR MEDICAL HELP.
CHECK OUT THE YOUTUBE VIDEO OF DAVE FROM SASKATOON TITLED
WCBullets in the mail
WOW WCB REALLY DID A NUMBER ON DAVE….. over 30 yrs of tormenting him.
C’YA
Brue
December 11th, 2008 at 12:34 am
It still boggles me that people who are obviously injured are not given the benefit of the doubt, which according to law they are supposedly entitled to. It would be interesting for all case workers to have to write in their rejection letters that they have concluded “beyond all reasonable doubt” that the injured party is not disabled (and have to do that with a straight face). Has anyone ever figured how they get around the reasonable doubt clause?
Of course case workers may live by the delusion that time heals all, while the fact of the matter is, people with chronic pain can get actually worse over time. Hence, if a patient has not improved over time, then what has changed? - except that this “time heals all” delusion has kicked in.
admin
April 21st, 2009 at 7:43 pm
There is no way around any of the WCB’s “legislated” doings, even criminal actions by them are allowed to go on. As a WCB employee states on a comment on my blog site “The act is LEGISLATED by the provincial government. This means it is LAW. The WCB is not part of the government. Believe it or not, their employees are trained to side with the worker if there is not a clear cut decision to be made.” that has to be the biggest piece of BULL SH_T I have ever heard
May 9th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
I fell 20 meters down a mine shaft,shattering my heal and tearing all the tendons away from my shoulder,opposite sides of course.my job will not let me return to work taking morphine for pain,have to be free of all meds.I am so fed up with WCB sask that I would like to go off all meds and go back if I cannot work can i go out on my jobs disibility or will they not touch you because of it being a wcb claim.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:01 am
The physical pain of the injury is almost unbearable most of the time but along with my pain med’s and some very disaplined mind manipulateing I can get through the day.Dealing with WCB’s tactic’s over the last 15yrs has changed me and the way I look at alot of issue’s and have lost the idea that there was no way another humanbeing could deliberatly put a person through and their family’s and then go home and be able to sleep or look at their kids and tuck them in when at work that day they just put a family out in to the cold having the heat shut off,vehicals taken away,no money for food. All this while being scheualled for a major back surgery. But the board had STAR REHAB on their payrole and i was told to my face that physicaly there was nothing I could do until the surgery was done and extensive rehab completed. Then their report to the board appearently said that I could return to work until the day of the surgery[multiple level spinal fusion with 2 six inch steel rods and 6 screws in my spine] The board totally cut off my benifits until the day the doctor cut me. Now i’m totally unemployable according to my doctors and assessment after assessment and almost 4yrs later there is still no final decsion made.
June 14th, 2009 at 1:36 am
KWM; I understand your feelings, it is very hard to be taken advantage of if that has in fact what has happened; HOWEVER; The workers compensation board does and has not ever sided with workers; Sure they may have given benefits to someone that didn’t deserve it; Like you state,”SHIT-HAPPENS”
However and this is a HUGE HOWEVER, Saskatchewan WCB and their HOSTILE ADVERSARIAL,ARROGANT, SMART ASS ATTITUDES, SUCK THE BIG ONE; I would like to trade shoes with you for 1 day and see what you think about living with 2 spinal injuries and 2 shoulder injuries; It would be lovely to not have to take pain medication, muscle relaxants, depression pills, just to get through the day;
I just had another appointment 5.5 yrs since injury; I was returned to work driving a semi-truck on morphine and oxycontin with 2 undiagnosed spinal injuries and 2 shoulder injuries; Even though WCB had received multiple requests for help, diagnostic tests,for me; DENIED
WCB and the Medical System (almost all Doctor’s) couldn’t give a rats ass about anything other than MONEY! When you are severely injured in Saskatchewan and Workers Comp gets involved “GOOD-LUCK” getting any treatment if it is a work injury;
From what has happened to me their needs to be a BIGTIME REVIEW of priorities at WCB; ….HEADS NEED TO ROLL…. People need to be thrown out on their asses or better yet charged under the criminal code; WCB treats people like trash, disposed off when injured; ( I have absolute PROOF of this ).
Our Sask Party here in Saskatchewan recently announced that they were in the process of conducting a WCB SERVICE REVIEW. I inquired to WCB and Rob Norris’s office for contact info; Were to send my injury claim file to be reviewed and was DENIED; it’s obvious that they don’t want known how they really DENY INJURED WORKERS HELP:
Saskatchewan Workers Compensation is absolutely the worst thing for any injured worker; If you have a Doctor that is trying to help you, or a physiotherapist that sees that you need help, too bad for you, times up and your claim is terminated and you ares starved back to work or worse fired for suffering a work injury:
Only someone who has lived through the WCB HORROR STORY will be able to tell you with sadness, how their lives, health, financial picture has been TRASHED BEYOND BELIEF:
GOD HELP YOU. because Workers Compensation will try to push you to suicide, with their never-ending - run-around begging for medical help; I have lived through Doctors and Workers comp malpractice, gross negligence, extreme emotional distress, just to name a few. I now know I am not the only one in Saskatchewan who has and is living this extreme OUTRAGEOUS medical/legal fraud; It literally is Racketeering supported off the backs of Saskatchewan Taxpayers. Who do you think is paying for long-term injured workers who have been injured on the job; NOT WCB, even though they have a surplus of 13 million for 2008; WCB still discriminates and harasses injured and disabled workers all the time; they show no mercy, and are the best LIARS around, possibly if not probable psychopaths, who else would DENY Medical Help to some one who needs it, and then kick their teeth out when they are down;
If you would like PROOF of the corruption at Saskatchewan Workers Compensation, stay tuned because the proverbial shit is about to hit the fan!
Injured and disabled workers are now getting educated and ready.
Physicians and Workers Compensation Employees are about to get their
eyes opened to a new organization;
CCWW Canadian Coalition Walking Wounded;
October 20th, 2009 at 1:04 am
You know, I almost start crying every time I read another horrible WCB story. And there are thousands of them across North America. It is a horrible horrible injustice perpetrated on severely weakened persons. It is a sad testimony to the state of our society, that their are people out there who would do such heinous things to other humans. It is supported and perpetuated by our politicians. Their punishment is no different than a white man shooting a black man 100 years ago. Nothing, absolutely nothing. Their crimes that they have unleashed on innocent law abiding tax payers, is appalling, reprehensible actually subhuman in nature. How these people can go home and kiss their children, and sleep well is really mind boggling to me. But it is understandable given that our society here in Canada now perfectly mirrors the greed mentality of the United States of America. These WCB organizations were not set up and mastered by dumb Canadians, this is an American Model. I have always said this, the Americans perfected this highly evolved medical fraud system, and exported it to Canada. What was unforseen by even the Americans, is the absolutely pure “Zealous abandon”, and truly cruel manifestations that the Canadians would unleash on our poor injured workers. The difference between the Americans and us, is guns. Guns, guns and more guns, it is the only thing that keeps some of those crazy American WCB claims managers in check. If a injured worker was to finally loose his marbles and go and cap one of these shill son’s of bitches. You know like I would love to see someone go postal on these bastards. Unfortunately, I am way to mangled to perform such a heroic act. Oh well, I am still allowed to dream. The crimes perpetrated against me by this phony medical organization are completely unspeakable. I will never ever recover fully from the emotional and psychological scars these ruthless bastards have willfully and maliciously unleashed on my person. They have shaken my very foundation of beliefs regarding humanity. Worse yet, the impotence of elected officials do do anything, and I mean anything to these ingrateful bastards is disturbing. It has shaken my belief in Democracy to the very bone. These shill bastards are making a complete “Mockery of Democracy”. Our Tory governments are the ones who created this bullshit organizations, and continue to support them in the name of business. Killing innocent persons is not good business. Stephen Harper and Ed Stelmach have actually managed to create the “Disposable Ironworker”. While doing this they have created disposable every kind of worker. They don’t need us anymore, they will just ramp up temporary foreign workers to the absolute maximum. Which is what they did in 2008. They knew the meltdown was coming and they actually ramped up the influx. It was all about getting cheap, cheap labour. My family has been here for many, many generations. I am actually ashamed to say I live in Alberta, and more importantly, I am now ashamed to be a Canadian. STephen Harper has no room to point fingers at the Chinese or any other country, while he lets this go on her in Canada. Shame, Shame, Shame on the Conservatives across this country. Is destroying families and killing injured workers a “New Conservative Value?” Or is it just an “Old Conservative Value”?, re branded for Canadian voter consumption?
Brent McGillis
Injured Ironworker
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
780-965-9196
October 24th, 2009 at 5:45 am
I found your website after looking for how many “standoffs” there have been conserning the WCB (after hearing about this current one in Edmonton) and I am really sorry to hear so many SAD storys concering the abuse from the WCB system!! My husband was a Injured Worker’s Advocate for many years in No.Ont. and we also have a vault full horrific stories concerning abuse by the system that was set up to HELP the Injured Worker…it’s terrible and something must change SOON!! keep up the good work with your informative site.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:47 am
It has been sometime since I have been hear to read the new stories of abuse intentionally inflicted on injured and disabled workers by WCB employees and some physicians who GREEDILY are preventing injured workers from getting a true diagnose of their injury.
Yes, these physicians are PUPPY-MILL paid WCB doctors who have sold out their profession for their 30 pieces of silver, at the expense of injured workers health.
As everyone knows, recently their was a hostage taking at WCB Edmonton and the standoff ended peacefully, LUCKY for those WCB employees. I say lucky because it could have ended terribly HORRIFIC.
We have all seen in the last few years, columbine incidents were unstable shooters have gained access and have carried out horrific acts of violence.
WCB should have taken steps to protect their employees better as almost every severely injured worker has been abused emotionally and physically, this was inevitable, due to the way WCB is adversarial and hostile with their claims administration.
Recently Premier Wall was on the news stating that his neighbor down the street had to sell his painting business as he could not work due to his back injury. The news clip showed the injured painter walking in his house, yet NO ONE called him a malingering faker, which I find hard to believe.
There seems to be a theory practiced by many surgeons that if a person can walk, they don’t need surgery? I say this as I have been waiting for over 5 years now to be properly diagnosed, and yes, I can walk because I take over 100 mgs of oxycontin daily to ease the severe chronic pain from my spinal injuries which have received NO TREATMENT;
My life is a revolving run-around of being pushed from Doctor to Doctor and never getting the diagnostic tests I need to properly diagnose my injury so that I can have my health recovery, the medical cue is never ending here in Saskatchewan.
As I slowly die from lack of treatment from my work injury’s, due to the assault from workers compensation and their well paid physicians who are employed to NEVER ORDER DIAGNOSTIC TESTS and just state physiotherapy will cure everything, I have learned some very HARD LESSONS;
#1. Don’t trust anyone from WCB with your health as my claim file PROVES beyond a shadow of doubt, they will say or do anything to deny you any help, their job is to deny you anything and everything that costs money or that will truly show the reason for your pain, especially if it will give you a permanent impairment as then WCB might have to send you some money, or retrain you for other work.
#2. Occupational Health and Safety doesn’t care if you are sent back to work in severe pain driving a semi-truck on morphine, oxycontin, muscle relaxants, undiagnosed. Every time you go out on the highway. BEWARE, WCB is sending severely injured workers back to work in safety sensitive jobs such as this with no concerns for the general public or their families. I found this out in 2007 when I almost ran over a car due to all the medications and side effects and lack of sleep due to the aggravation of my work injuries.
#3. You will be treated as a malingering faker by almost everyone in the medical system, BEG OR BORROW and go to the MAYO CLINIC before it is to late and your life and health are totally destroyed by workers compensations FRAUDULENT CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION.
#4. My experience is that if you are in PAIN, get to the route of the problem as fast as you can before it goes chronic, if you develop CRPS, life will be miserable and workers compensation will only add to the problem with their ARROGANT HOSTILE ADVERSARIAL CONDESCENDING ATTITUDES, these people should be categorized as your enemy, because they are there to deny you your health recovery with extreme prejudice.
#5. Get the hell out of Canada, our medical system is pathetic, The Doug Bonderude story is what is really happening, people are dying from lack of diagnose and treatment.
Here is a clip from Injured Workers All Across Canada that speaks volumes of what is happening, in the medical system all across Canada;
Here it is in a nutshell;
In an effort to protect their insurance treasury they prevent us from getting critical early diagnosis and tx, we end up sustaining irreparable damage through a slew of ensuing scenarios, one of which is Liver, kidney and [other] critical organ damage and we do this while our worlds implode around us, without money, pity or legal recourse.
Each of us is enlightened to a degree of the Truth as we go through what we’d never have been able to comprehend, believe or accept (as it is a reversal or reversion of the synthetic reality and the bill of goods they sell us in exchange for their mandatory insurance rates).
Subsequently we each have a large and critical piece of the puzzle to contribute of what should be a collaborative and collective effort to seek justice, remedy and compensation due each and every person who has been ripped off, maimed, crippled and/or killed by the government sanctioned/perpetrated insurance racketeers.
February 9th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
To whom it may Concern,
Patrick Clayton is not an evil man. The system he was subjected too is the culprit in this case.
All Workers Compensation Boards in Canada practice psychological and physical abuse against the permanently disabled victim. It is this psychological and physical abuse that drives men mad, causes them to commit crimes, causes them to seek treatment from the streets (drugs and alcohol), and even causes them to commit suicide. That is the goal of the Workers Compensation Boards.
Mr. Clayton is not alone suffering pain and torment and fraud and abuse. There are tens of thousands of injured workers across Canada being mistreated the same way. Fortunately most injured workers recover and return to their jobs. For those that can’t, and the WCB’s know immediately which ones can’t, the abuse begins.
What has happened to Mr. Clayton is not an isolated incident. In the last couple of years WCB offices have been attacked in Manitoba and Quebec. To single him out as a worthless drug addict and to imply that drugs are his main problem is only deceitful and incompetent reporting designed to take the focus off the criminal actions of WCB’s. I have to ask why the media treats every case as a single entity when in fact it is Canada wide fraud and abuse against us all?
To prove my point about injured workers being subjected to psychological abuse I offer you this statement from a document prepared by WorksafeBC. It states; “….does not compensate for psychological damage as a result of being involved in the WCB process.”
This process they refer to is the appeals. Most are completely unnecessary and even when there is doubt about disability proper medical/job function testing can confirm or deny such a state. This medical testing is delayed or even completely withheld from the patient.
Part of the abuse is that the patient begins to lose all they own awaiting appeals, have to bear the stigma of being on welfare when they should be receiving workers compensation benefits, have no money for lawyers and are traumatized by being forced to defend themselves when they are too sick to do so. This is especially true in brain injury cases.
One of these cases involve a B.C. man who was brain injured then subjected to repeated cut offs of benefits and under surveillance for years. Just imagine being brain injured and as a result suffering emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, fear, paranoia, and other symptoms. Then imagine having WCB spies popping out of the bushes at every opportunity to take pictures and send false reports back to WCB’s who then cut off benefits.
In Mr. Lockyer’s case he was traumatized from 1989 until 2005. At that point he thought a WCB spy was coming to cut off benefits and he stabbed the man to death. He is now in a mental hospital.
That is the result of the frivolous and vexatious appeals processes that lead to such incidents as Mr. Lockyers and Mr. Claytons. There are hundreds more such incidents occurring regularly. About 28 years ago I found myself in the same position and stole pistols to go to WSIB Ontario and blow their criminal heads off. I served three months for the theft but fortunately came to my senses and did not use the guns for any criminal purpose.
The simple truth is, WCB’s regularly inflict mental and emotional trauma designed purposely to force the claimant to abandon their claims. Suffering unbearable pain while being psychologically abused is why most permanently disabled injured workers commit suicide and/or cause harm to other human beings.
It is time the media expose these crimes against Canadian citizens. If not, why not?
Frederick Palmer
Founder – V.O.C.A.L.
(Victims Of Compensation Abuse League)
March 2nd, 2010 at 3:26 am
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April 29th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Dear Workers comp claims employee.
You really screwed up, you crippled me with your lies and criminal negligence and now I am letting you know your gig is up. If I were you
I would think about moving to another province asap.
You can run but you can’t hide, see you in court were you will be made to answer for your crimes against humanity.