They refused him medical treatment! - Democratic Underground

laylah

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Sun May-07-06 05:13 AM
Original message

They refused him medical treatment!

My SO works at a widely known meat processing plant here in the midwest. He started about a month ago ONLY because he needed work and was willing to do what he had to do, continuing to look further.
(He is NOT on the kill or butcher floors, thank God/dess!).

Not a week into the job, he slipped down some stairs, thankfully catching himself on the railing but doing something to his back. The nurse on duty that night did not document the incident; however, when he went into the nurse's station a couple of nights later, that nurse did. She did not give him copies of the report.

He has gone to the nurse's station no less than 4 nights a week since the incident. Finally, last Wednesday morning, about 2:30 am, he BEGGED me to take him to the ER at a local hospital. He later decided against it because he has no insurance.

Later in the day, he called work and told them he needs/wants to see a doctor and was told he needed to go into work first, which he did. I gave him time to arrive there then phoned in to the nurse's office. I identified myself to her, asked for an update, which she refused. I told her to ask my SO, who was sitting right there, for permission to speak with me. She stated she still couldn't because it was company policy.

I then asked to speak with him, at which time, I instructed him to ask if he was going to see a doctor while I was on the phone to hear the question. He did ask and the nurse said "no", they were putting him on another job. Mind you, this man had not missed one night of work in spite of this excruciating pain, had been in the nurse's office more often than not, begged to see a doc, and was told "no" and was going to be sent back to work!

He arrived home a bit later, stating he had asked once again, to see a doctor and was denied so he told that nurse he WAS going to see a doctor and was leaving. Before he left, she asked him to sign some paperwork which " will fill it out later". Well, DUH, like he would do that! She was not a happy camper.

He went into the ER on Thursday, was examined by the doc there, taken off work until tomorrow (at least) and told to report to a work fitness center on Monday. The ER doc also faxed his findings and orders out to nursing at the facility.

When my SO called in to verify they had, in fact, received the fax, he was told by another nurse (in a very rude, disrespectful fashion) to bring in any meds the doc had prescribed when he returns to work.

My SO then called this particular work fitness center on Friday afternoon, long after the fax from the ER would have been received by the facility's nursing office. When he explained what was going on, this fitness center told him they would not even speak with him because the employer had not sent him!

I am so sorry this is quite lengthy. I just need to know if there are any legal eagles here who can help direct me to the next step. We have contacted a workman's comp/personal injury attorney, one of which has dealt with the company's unethical practices numerous times.

As always, thanks in advance. :hug:

Jenn