Oh, hello economy. Have we reached bottom yet?

[icarus]

Oh. Joy. WG received a letter that his insurance claim has been refused. The insurance company insists that he has to file with L&I.

WG's been pacing and worried all day. There has been no other topic of conversation today.

He spoke with the union trust people immediately. They were surprised at his company's insistance that you have to report injuries for L&I within a 72-hour window. The woman there said, "I had some pain in my hand that I ignored at first but it kept getting worse. I was able to report it to L&I."

Now WG has to file an L&I claim after the fact. He's going in to the shipyard to talk to human resources tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the head of my work, the tutor program, has called a meeting for 10:30 tomorrow. This will be our first ever meeting.

I have a feeling I know what it's about. I was reviewing the applications for next year's tutors this week. Today I was told to put that on hold. We won't be hiring new tutors for next year.

Yesterday, I read that economic indicators had improved. Companies were restocking their inventories. First quarter profits were better than expected. It is time for the economy to turn around, please.

Comments

[sarka.livejournal.com]

It is time for the economy to turn around, please.

Oh yes please. Even if it was just your country, at least mine could start making the moves to improve the situation.

Still, I think I'm too pessimistic to believe that this is going to ease up soon, at least at home - it's like we're having Political Scandal Week over there :(

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

It was fun while it lasted but I'm done with this recession now.

[sarka.livejournal.com]

Precisely.

I feel like a lot of people my age at home are all caught up in the historicity of the moment. Political Activism! Major Scandal! We All Need To Work Together!

It's driving me a little nuts, to be honest.

And I sort of only replied to the last part of your post because that part is the one that makes me go 'AGH GAH' on a regular basis, but I do hope WG doesn't get his claim refused.

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

The 72 hour window thing sounds like something the company might have spread around just to stop people from making claims. I can't see how they could legally do that, especially if WG is in a union. Maybe things are totally completely different in the US, but down here we can claim years after the fact.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Rumor? Spread by the company? I find the implications of that disturbing.

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

Well from what you've said previously I can see that they wouldn't be above implying such a thing to avoid having to pay out. That way if it's only something minor the person who is injured would think it wasn't worth the hassle to try and put in a claim.

Some injuries can take weeks or months to manifest. 72 hours after the injury just seems ridiculous. What if it happened just before a long weekend? You wouldn't have a hope of claiming.

I do know some of the dodgy businesses down here will pay basic medical costs to stop their employers from lodging the official injury paperwork. Any kind of injury in the workplace is supposed to be reported here so if there is a need to make a claim later there is proof.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I'm so not letting WG see this comment until after he's talked to them. Because he's utterly paranoid and understandably scared. That CT and bone scan cost $4,000. We're fucked if this doesn't go through.

[bruinsfan.livejournal.com]

I can't necessarily say anything upbeat about insurance paying out, but one thing I can reassure you about is that taking a long time to pay extensive medical bills is neither unheard of nor damning.

Back when I was a kid my dad had major surgery and a year's worth of subsequent rehab before he could come home, to the tune of $50,000 after insurance that we had to pay on a nonprofit office manager's salary and disability stipends. We kept our house and kept food on the table. We weren't able to pay a lot off at once, but the hospitals were willing to work with my family as long as we kept making good faith payments in amounts we could handle.

[rellan.livejournal.com]

Insurance companies don't like to pay out. They will drag things out as long as possible. At least, in my experience.

But I hope things will be resolved for WG soon. *sends more good thoughts*

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Now I'm wishing he'd done an L&I claim in the first place. Hopefully, all involved remember that many lawyers do personal injury and L&I claims, and most work on contingency.

[amalthia]

I really hope the economy turns around soon too. You and WG could really use a break.

[lexstar29.livejournal.com]

Man I hope things get resolved for WG soon. I know what it's like to stare down that medical bill barrel.I'll think good thoughts for him.

Also, I agree. I'd really like things to start turning round now. We keep getting the same articles about 'recovery indicators' over here. The economy can get better any time it likes now.

[lavvyan.livejournal.com]

Yesterday, I read that economic indicators had improved. Companies were restocking their inventories. First quarter profits were better than expected.

Those companies wouldn't be using credits to restock their inventories, now, would they? *g*

Seriously, though, last thing I heard was that the worst hadn't even started yet.

[lyricalnights.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I sincerely hope we're on the road to recovery, but...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/opinion/17krugman.html?_r=1

[lavvyan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's more or less what they're saying over here in Germany. Unemployment rates have started to rise, but quite a few of the bigger companies (some of which I'd have sworn were stable) have only just filed for bankruptcy, so they're all still kind of in limbo. Never mind that most of the owners of small businesses I know are barely scraping by, but none of them has given up yet. That might change, too.

There's no saying how bad this is going to get.