Your share could raise $30
Before you go, did you know that simply by sharing this campaign, you could help it raise $30? It's an effective way to support the cause.
No thanks- Pin it
- SubscribeUnsubscribe
- Embed
Meghan Owen hasn't added a story.
https://www.facebook.com/MeghanVsInsurance
This fundraising page is for legal and travel expenses,
and possibly living expenses IF this gets dragged out for too long
only, check out my Facebook page if you'd like to help in other ways.
Any left over funds will be used as seed money to start a non profit
to help others in similar circumstances. Vetrans, Injured workers, and SSI/D.
September 22, 2009.
I was working for Tatitlek Management Inc, out of El Paso Tx,
as a cultural role player/COB(civilian on battlefield) for live
scenarios at McGregor Range NM. We mostly provided villager cast for
various exercises, but had recently transitioned over to Detainee
Operations for the National Guard/Reserves.
It was my 4th day out at the quads. We had just completed a
small prisoner riot, with some escapees, myself included in that
group. I had made it further than anyone else, the OC/T ordered me to
stop and allow myself to be captured. This is where things went
seriously wrong.
I was ordered to lay on the ground, arms spread out front, head
turned to the left. I held this position while one of the two “guards”
kicked fire ants away from me, for the next 20min. The command had
been given to freeze the scenario, and everyone to hold their
position/pose. Everything had stopped while one group of “guards” was
getting smoked.
When the command was given to resume, one of my two guards,
rather than passing his weapon off to his buddy to free both hands,
reached down, and pulled my right arm behind my back, keeping my elbow
locked and palm facing the same direction. This type of motion will
cause a sprain in most people. Next, he quickly wrenched my arm up,
using his knee for leverage, and brought my arm up almost 90°, then
cuffed me. I cried out in pain but the scenario continued. My left arm
was brought to the center of my back much more carefully, and the
guard got down to my level in order to finish cuffing me.
Time went all wonky from the pain, I don't know if only a
minute or 10 had passed. Index was called, and I was let out of the
cuffs. My right shoulder had dislocated going backwards. This is an
extremely difficult injury to receive, usually only seen with
motorcycle accidents. This injured my AC joint, rotator cuff, and
popped my clavicle, and possibly first rib free from my sternum. I
spent the next 3 hours trying to convince my guards that I needed
medical attention. My employer, and the person who held the safety
briefing failed to give us the safety word for use in case of injury,
and my supervisor had been removed from the quad to go on a different
scenario.
Once I was able to find an OC/T, I was taken back to our
company’s tent, filled out the necessary paperwork, and was then
rushed to the nearest hospital 2hrs away. At this point my arm and
hand were quite swollen, and my right ear was ringing loud enough to
make listening difficult. I was taken to Sierra Medical Center in El
Paso, and was seen by a nurse practitioner fairly quickly. I was not
released to return to work, and was referred to an orthopedic surgeon.
I was heavily medicated, and sent home with prescriptions, and in a sling.
Due to misfiling by my employer, and the insurance company, it
took 3 weeks to see the first orthopedic surgeon, and 5 weeks to get
in to see a proper specialist. By this point, I would have random
numbness in my hand, and my arm would sublax, (partially dislocate)
somewhat frequently. I spent 5 months in physical therapy then went in
for the first of what was supposed to be a multi part surgery.
During this time, the insurance company was only paying out
somewhere between 1/4th and 1/3rd of what my wages were supposed to
be. I lost my apartment, and ended up having to move back into my
parents house.
Post surgery I went through another 5 months of physical
therapy while waiting for the next surgery, which never came. The El
Paso branch of the Texas Division of Insurance, Decision of Workers
compensation was completely lost and unhelpful. A person of authority
recommended I move to San Antonio or Austin where the offices were
much more competent. I followed their instructions, and moved to San
Antonio, a week shy of the 1 year anniversary of my injury.
Once I was in San Antonio, and had gotten the ball rolling,
things started going down hill quickly. The insurance had cut off all
of my wages, and my good insurance adjuster had been deployed with the
Texas National Guard overseas. My new adjuster was an obstructionist.
He frequently broke the rules of conduct, and ignored state law and
statutes with impunity… worse still, the people at the division had no
idea how to rein him in. To go forward with anything, the bureaucracy
required him to follow certain steps, and by not doing so, left them
confused on how to proceed.
During this time, my arm continued to get worse. My arm would
now fully dislocate somewhat frequently, and sublax quite often. The
pain became a constant, going from extremely uncomfortable to
blindingly agonizing. The numbness and swelling were also far more
prevalent.
My new doctor, sent me to a specialist, and it took months for
the insurance to approve the visit. After the visit, it took even
longer for the insurance to approve the tests that had been requested.
My new MRI showed how quickly the injury had progressed over the last
year and a half. He also strongly suspected that I had what is called
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. This is where the nerves, vessels, and
arteries of the thoracic are compressed between the first rib and
clavicle. Thoracic outlet syndrome is difficult to diagnose, and
should physical therapy fail, requires surgery to correct. TOS of a
traumatic nature is usually only seen in motorcycle accidents or when
the clavicle and or first rib have been fractured or popped loose.
Almost 2 years later, a 2nd doctor came up with the same hypothesis.
After 2 years in San Antonio, fighting with the unseen
insurance company, with nothing ever being approved I was convinced to
move to Seattle, where the medical care was easier to come by, and I
could deal directly, in a face to face fashion with the insurance company.
Here in Seattle I found an Orthopedic surgeon willing to
operate on my shoulder, to try and prevent the dislocation problem,
but only AFTER I have the Thoracic Outlet issue taken care of. I also
have a vascular surgeon who has firmly diagnosed the TOS, and is
willing to perform the surgery to correct the issue. I have gone
through another year of physical therapy total for both conditions in
attempts to conservatively treat the issues, to no avail.
The insurance carrier has fought tooth and nail to deny wages
and treatment, and I now find myself in the position of needing to fly
back to Texas to go to court. My savings have been tapped out over the
last 5 years, and finding employment that matches both my skill levels
(on paper) and physical capabilities has been all but impossible.
I need to be ready and able to fly back to Texas at a moments
notice, be able to pay filing and court costs, hire an expert witness
who can physically appear in court, get a phone, and support the costs
of staying in a different city and state while managing to keep my
home here… and if court fails I will need to somehow afford the TOS
surgery so I can finally get my arm and livelihood back.
Highlights
See all activity2Activity
Delete media item?
Delete this item from the media gallery? It will also be deleted from any related story update.
Set as ?
The campaign video will appear in social media and email.
The campaign cover picture will appear in social media and email.
The will appear at the top of your campaign page and in social media and email.
Reset ?
It will be removed from the top of your campaign and won't be used as default in social media and email. The will remain in the media gallery.
Embed
Share a link
Delete update
Delete this story update?
Any pictures or videos will remain in the campaign's media gallery.
Report campaign
Report submitted
Thank you. We take reports like yours very seriously. Our goal is to keep the community safe.
Please know that we may contact you for more information, but that we won't notify you personally of our decision. If the campaign remains available within a few days, it's likely that we determined it not to be in violation of our policies.
Thank you. We've already received your previous report. If the campaign remains available within a few days, it's likely that we determined it not to be in violation of our policies.
Tell us about the problem. Please fill in both fields below.
Record a video
Upload a video
Nothing grabs attention for your cause like a personal video. Take a minute or two to record one now. Record a short video message of support. Or upload one from your device. You can preview or redo your video before you post it.
Nothing grabs attention for your cause like a personal video. Upload a short video message of support. Upload a short video message of support. Or record one right now.
- Most effective video length: about a minute.
- Maximum length: 5 min.
- You can preview or redo your video before you post it.
Heads up! The existing video will be replaced.
Email your friends
Join our team
Tell people why our cause matters to you. Your personal message will encourage others to help. Easy, effective, optional.
Say it in video
Short personal videos by supporters like you are incredibly powerful. Record one right now and you'll help us raise more money. Easy, optional, effective.
Add a personal goal
Set a personal fundraising goal. You'll encourage more contributions if you do. And rest easy. There's no obligation to achieve your goal or bad consequences if you don't. Easy, optional, effective.
We have a video!
Video thumbnail
We'd love to show you our campaign video. Want to take a look?
, you're already on the team.