Posted by Merle Campbell on October 19, 1998 at 16:52:07:
My wife was injured on the job at Nordstroms. They initially took very good care of her. She has a neck and shoulder injury which causes a great deal of pain and nausea.
When she went to her first Independent Medical Examination (IME), they agreed with her Doctors opinion and recommended continued treatment. After several months and marginal improvement Trish Williams of Nordstrom Risk Management ordered my wife to a 2nd IME. Dr(s). Zivin, M.D. and Turco, M.D. examined her. They insited that they examine my wife alone. She refused to have an examination with out me present. The doctors were extemely rude, intimidating, accusatory and wrote a scathing libelous fictional report that can only be described as pure fabrication. I believe these doctors are dishonest, lie for money, guilty of perjury as the so called "independent" opinion has the effect of sworn testamony. I further believe them to be well paid whores for employers and the insurance industry.
My wife and I were advised that she should have an attorney (this even by Nordstroms' own managed care person and a member of management) We did not believe it necessary as this was Nordstrom. We later found that no matter who the employer is, get an attorney! If you have a serious injury you're going to get screwed period. You might as well start off with competent legal advice.
The governor has said, " workers comp reform is a success." That statement alone should cause us to realize that the legislature and the governor are being hand fed propaganda by the Workers Comp insurance carriers, SAIF, and employers that have wrongly saved (stolen) huge sums of money on real and catistrophic injuries of Oregon workers. We have a duty to correct the record and inform the people of Oregon, as well as the governor and the legislature, of the terrible inequities suffered by injured workers in this state.
Measured in injured workers denied claims, lost wages, financial disasters and personal suffering, the workers comp reform is a huge success for the isurance industry, self insured employers (Nordstrom), SAIF, doctors and attorneys bought by the industry.
We will post the complete medical exam (IME) on the Internet in the next few days with a short rebuttal.
You work in Oregon at you own risk!
Merle Campbell