Comments on: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and workers compensation

By: Susie Collins

Susie Collins — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:48:29 +0000

Oh good, Jasmine. It’s good to be at peace with decisions even though in retrospect you might have done something different. It’s really hard figuring out what do to when it’s all new issues and you’re not feeling well. In the future you may find that what you learned from the experience will be invaluable for helping others in ways you now cannot imagine. Life is funny that way— years later you are able to do amazing things not imagined because of a “bad” decision. This is why one of my favorite movies is Run, Lola, Run. Excellent flick for anyone wishing they’d done something differently.

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:57:31 +0000

Thanks Susie, hugs to you! I am at peace with my decision with the exception that if I had done more (like Susan McBride) I could have helped others so much more.

By: Susie Collins

Susie Collins — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:29:26 +0000

Jasmine, thank you for sharing your story. I’m sure others can learn from your experience. I’m glad you finally found a safety net, but it saddens me to know you lost your livelihood and that you still suffer so. No one should have to go through that. I just want to give you a big hug and tell you that I hope you are finding a way to feel productive and at peace despite your health issues.

Michael, thanks much for these articles. You are very kind to share this detailed info so openly with us. Mahalo!

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:14:41 +0000

Thank you MIchael, to Standard Insurance’s surprise I applied for SSDI and after some time was approved.

By: Michael Walkup

Michael Walkup — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:56:19 +0000

As I said in my earlier article, don’t expect your employer sponsored insurance plan to come to your rescue as there are too many “outs” factored into their contracts and the way the court system is required to handle these types of claims. I was successful for someone with Standard who had a lot of CFS and FMS symptoms to go along with her CFS. However, she paid for her own plan so it was not employer sponsored, which helps a lot.

WC is also very problematic and varies a lot from state to state. As I will explain in a later article, your best bet is probably the Social Security disability avenue.

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:32:36 +0000

A little background: I became sensitized to chemicals in the workplace, but not from the chemicals I worked with. I performed tissue culture for a pharmaceutical company in San Diego, CA. Following strict aseptic technique, every time I worked with cell lines and/or the chemicals used to harvest adherent cultures, freeze or thaw cell lines, etc., I used a laminar flow hood.

After my department moved from a huge, open laboratory to an enclosed room, I started noticing chemicals on my co-workers. I could tell who walked into the room based on their perfume seconds before seeing them. At first it was funny, but after some time I was noticing acute Migraine attacks. I had become sensitized to these chemicals, and certain days I felt trapped because of them, which caused anxiety.

Because of this increase in the frequency and intensity of my Migraines I took more and more Migraine abortives like Imitrex and Excedrin. Unfortunately this was causing Rebound Migraines. After my first Migraine-related trip to the ER I realized I had to put my health before my paycheck.

For months I tried to educate my co-workers on what their favorite lotion and perfume was doing to me, but there were always those few who didn’t care enough to stay out of my work space or to stop wearing scented products if they worked closely with me.

I thought about worker’s comp but was it really my job that caused more pain or my peers? And because all my employer could do was ask co-workers to “voluntarily” comply I felt I had no choice but to leave.

I had just hoped that the same LTD company I paid into would help me once I became too ill to work.

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:48:20 +0000

This topic stirs up a lot of emotions for me. Part of me needed to let it go when my insurance company denied me short- and long-term disability. I hired a lawyer and we jumped through all the hoops, but Standard Insurance’s experts’ opinions always beat out those of my doctors.

The fine print which excluded MCS and FMS caused my lawyer and I to focus on my Migraines, but they would come back saying it’s a pre-existing condition and that I haven’t provided enough documentation to show a worsening of my condition (which is impossible to do objectively — high-five to you Standard Insurance…I hope everyone who helped deny my claim enjoyed a nice fat bonus).

I can relate a lot to this article:
http://www.cfids-me.org/disinissues/ins1.html

Part of me wishes I had pursued this further. Not for the damn money, but to prevent these LIARS from denying other sufferers.

By: HEIRS MCS: « HEIRS Environmental Illness Research Blog

HEIRS MCS: « HEIRS Environmental Illness Research Blog — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:05:51 +0000

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