Thread: Permanent Back Injury Results in Loss of Job

Hello, I injured my back 5 years ago at work and started a WSIB claim and went to physio and worked modified duties for 6 months until I was laid off for work shortage along with a few hundred other people.

My back got a little better and I worked for an automotive manufacturer for 3 years until I got laid off there.

Since September of 2008 I have been working at another factory making HVAC units. I re-injured my back with my diagnosis being:
- Strained Lumbar
- Roto Scoliosis
- Kyphosis
- Schmorls Nodules

I went to physio and massage therapy for 6 months, then WSIB sent me to a Regional Evaluation Centre where I now have my permanent restriction of:

Limited:
Pushing, Pulling, Lifting, Bending, Twsiting, Staying in a static position, Leaning for prolonged or repeated.

I am a contract worker (3 months at a time) I signed a new contract in the begining of the March that I was hurt. I injured myself at work on the 20th of that month and have not been offered a new contract since that time. Despite the fact that I would have had to renew 2 times by now.

I have been on modified duties the whole time. Once I showed up to work with my pretty heavy restrictions, nobody in Human Resources wanted to deal with.

I had to wait 3 days to talk to someone all the while trying to make myself look busy. Since the plant manager was watching me while hiding.

After I spoke to HR about my restriction they told me "I don't know what to do, there is nothing here for you" and I asked "since I'm contract what prevents "Them" (the company) from saying "your contract is up, we're letting you go" HR replied "for work ethic reasons, they wont due that, and it would cost too much money".

WELL! Today when I went up to HR to see if they found anything for me to do yet, HR took me into a room with one of the Higher Ups. Sat me down, and told me that they talked to WSIB and ergonomics and decided there is no work for me to do there because of my injury and restrictions that they will not be renewing my contract (that I have never seen or signed) at the end of the month. It was all verbal, nothing written and they said I was free to go and today was my last day.


Sorry for all the typing, but do I have something here. I mean I have been injured at work (permanently impaired, stated in my WSIB evaluation of the REC Assessment) with no compensation, it was pretty much sorry about your back, good luck!

Dear colin, m feeling sorry for the tragedy that took place with you.
i think you should have claimed for your injury. Its your organization's responsibility to take care of your things, if accident has taken place over their. Try take some legal action.

Back injuries often result in physical conditions other than just back pain. For example, an injury to the spine can cause severe pain in the legs, loss of nerve sensation in the feet, limited mobility and debilitating lower back pain.Frequently, insurance companies will dismiss leg pains or a sore neck as a minor injury unrelated to the work accident. The company will then deny any subsequent workers' compensation claim. For these reasons, it is very important to inform your physician of all aches and pains so that he or she can properly diagnose and document the true extent of your injury.If you were injured on the job, your first responsibility is to seek medical treatment. After reaching your maximum medical improvement (MMI), the physician will use the permanent impairment rating guidelines to determine the percentage of your impairment.

Now that's a serious case. The company should help you and the insurance as well. We feel so sorry about this. Better ask the company for the benefits that you can get.

And Im feel sorry for that. I also had a friend who got health problems in his work. His work require him his full energy, cause everyone there should function. He lift 20 kilos + every minute and every day. After months of working, he got problems in his kidney.The doctor said it's because of lifting heavy equipments and having lack of sleep. He feels painfully every time it hurts. After that, he was laid off of the job. He can never perform the same again. But he never loses hope, he finds a job that requires less lifting.
But for you, that's very serious. You were working while having a back injury. And now, you were restricted to do the usual things you always done. Just find a job that requires less lifting, or job that cost much less energy.

your company should help you in such a scenario and give the insurance money as well.

It is important to conduct workplace investigation to discover the cause of the accident. Usually, the immediate cause of the accident is what the investigators discover at first. Immediate cause is the direct reason as to why the accident happened. For example, a wet floor is the reason behind a slip. However, the root cause, or the underlying cause behind the immediate reason, should also be inspected. Logically, there has to be a reason as to why a floor is wet. The root cause should be the one to be controlled in order to prevent any more similar accidents in the future. A workplace accident needs to be investigated also for the following reasons:
* For the company to perform any legal requirements.
* In order to know the total cost of the accident. Equipments that were broken and the amount needed to fix it are included in the total cost.
* To determine the safety regulations that was broken. The accident may have been a result of negligence or carelessness.
* Processing of worker’s compensation if ever it results to injury.
* To work on the hazards of the workplace.