My husband was injured on the job (rear ended) and work comp came into the picture and not once has it been pleasant. Not only do you see their doctors, who want to put a patch on you and send you out the door with your pain and injuries untreated, yet medicated (shoving pain killers at you to masks your symptoms, not taking care of the injury) We are among a group of many with stories of losing homes, cars and dignity because work comp stalls or stops paying the injured workers forcing them to apply for public assistance (and they are so backed up at family services that even that takes a while) I stood in a food bank for the first time in order to get food for my family and my injured husband. Jobs are scarce if any in this economy as I continue to look for work in order to have an income (because it has been over 3 weeks since work comp has sent a check) We are the new hungry and some homeless because of work comp. The employers have no sympathy (they distance themselves from the injured workers as fast as they can) My husband's employer refused to give him his vacation pay (which my husband had coming to him) and we could certainly use right now. This is the same man who when, my husband attempted to return to work on light duty would not even come out of his office as my husband lay on the floor after a trip and fall over a rung (because he was using a cane due to his injuries) an ambulance was called by the secretary, but the employer never even bothered to come out to check on his employee laying on the floor, not so much as a phone call to check on him. My husband can only move around (limited) with a walker. We can't even get the MRI that the doctor ordered. After this month we will be among the homeless if I can't find a job to get an income in our home. I can't even bring myself to tell my son how bad things are... Work comp is for the employer not the employee. We are only a file number not a face. Lost in the system of politicians who helped to pass laws that do not care or help an injured worker.
The politicians should speak with injured workers and see their life as it is with work comp in control. We are one family of many who are being forced into a world of pain and poverty. Doctors once took an oath to give proper medical care for the patients, work comp doctors only do what work comp wants them to do. And most of the time refuse treatment. When you question their form of treatment, the doctors release you as fast as they can. We have been told by one doctor that they don't like to go against work comp as they won't pay them.
One of the doctors told us that work comp had ask them to do something that was considered "illegal in the work comp world" There are sites with horror stories about Florida work comp. One of a woman who worked for them and told of how dirty they are and how they lie. I would be happy to send you the link so that you could see first hand the faceless people who are living in pain and the losses they have suffered because of work comp.
Perhaps, you will address this issue that work comp doesn't want to have brought to light. Until that happens, nothing will change and in this economy the line for food banks, public assistance and homeless will get longer. It is a shame in such a beautiful place like Florida there is such disregard for the hard working injured workers.

Thank you,