by Nicholos Gene Poma B.S.

Created on: July 17, 2008

It seems that all too often we never really consider the importance of a cause until it has affected us in a negative manner. Such examples might include Christopher Reeve, who suffered spine damage after a fall from a horse. Reeve wound up being paralyzed from the neck down and this eventually led to his death. However, after being paralyzed Reeve went on to champion the cause of spinal injury research and even threw his hat into the ring for stem cell research, which does show some promise at regenerating damaged tissue and organs.

Then there is the actor Michael J. Fox who was diagnosed with a severe case of Parkinson's disease. This disease affects the central nervous system and is recognized by the patient having uncontrollable shaking. It was not until Fox's diagnosis was made public that he actually joined into the stem cell debate and even testified before Congress on the matter. Much in the same way many people do not realize the difficulties of going through the Workman's Comp system until they are thrust into it due to a life-changing injury.

I am one of those individuals that considered most people on Workman's Comp to be defrauding the system. I can say now that I feel like a jerk for generalizing people that way and perhaps I am receiving my just rewards. However, until you walk a mile in another man's shoes, you cannot truly appreciate his troubles. Others may have found their experience to be simple, or at least with little discomfort, I can say with certainty that my experience has been at the extreme other side of the spectrum. So, in order to help others deal with the Workman's Comp system I have decided to share what knowledge I have in order to inform you of what to expect.

Early in Governor Schwarzenegger's first term he imposed some changes to the Workman's Comp system. At the time many companies were relocating out of California in favor of states that did not charge so much for insurance. Disability fraud was running rampant and the corporations were the ones paying the price in higher premiums. So the system was overhauled, but unfortunately, the pendulum swung too far the other way and now the system is tipped highly in favor of the insurance companies. This is to the detriment of those workers that in fact, do have true medical disabilities that occurred while on the job.

In most cases an injury which occurs while on the job is in general superficial. Most injuries include, cuts, sprains, or even pulled muscles requiring no more

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