I broke my back today...

[Holdfast]

This is what happens when people go to work.

Two words: workers' compensation. Call a lawyer.

It didn't happen at work.

Yeah, but it occurred in conjunction with going to work, so I can see avenues for a lawyer to at least explore.

However, on the other hand, your boss sounds a decent fellow, so it's up to you whether you actually want to explore those avenues. From what you describe, I don't think I'd particularly want to, if you're generally happy with things.

Get well soon!

 

[ThankQ]

This is what happens when people go to work.

Two words: workers' compensation. Call a lawyer.

It didn't happen at work.

Yeah, but it occurred in conjunction with going to work, so I can see avenues for a lawyer to at least explore.

However, on the other hand, your boss sounds a decent fellow, so it's up to you whether you actually want to explore those avenues. From what you describe, I don't think I'd particularly want to, if you're generally happy with things.

Get well soon!

Also, it's a chain, so it's not like his boss is the owner, so he doesn't have to go out to get THIS guy. But some help with the medical bills and lost wages wouldn't be bad.

Maybe he should approach his boss before a lawyer? I don't know. I do know I shouldn't give legal advice.

Maybe you should call some 800 number and see what the situation is. No harm in that, is there?

 

[Yeoman Randi]

OUCH! Dude, hope you don't have a lot of pain and i hope you heal quickly.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Man, I'm sorry to hear this, but it really could have been a lot worse. Hopefully the neurosurgeon will give you a clean bill of health and everything will heal quickly.

It just goes to show how one random moment can change your life forever....

 

[Guitarded]

This is what happens when people go to work.

It didn't happen at work.

Yeah, but it occurred in conjunction with going to work, so I can see avenues for a lawyer to at least explore.

However, on the other hand, your boss sounds a decent fellow, so it's up to you whether you actually want to explore those avenues. From what you describe, I don't think I'd particularly want to, if you're generally happy with things.

Get well soon!

Also, it's a chain, so it's not like his boss is the owner, so he doesn't have to go out to get THIS guy. But some help with the medical bills and lost wages wouldn't be bad.

Well, it's a franchise, so he is the co-owner.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

This is what happens when people go to work.

Two words: workers' compensation. Call a lawyer.

It didn't happen at work.

Yeah, but it occurred in conjunction with going to work, so I can see avenues for a lawyer to at least explore.

However, on the other hand, your boss sounds a decent fellow, so it's up to you whether you actually want to explore those avenues. From what you describe, I don't think I'd particularly want to, if you're generally happy with things.

Get well soon!

The commute to and from work is not paid, in the US. If you are in a job that requires you to track mileage, you only go on the clock after you go past what your normal commute would require. For instance--for me, it's set at 9 miles. Once I exceed 9 miles, then I'm on the clock. But since this is this guy's normal commute, it's the same as if he got rear-ended during rush hour...it's not something the company is liable for--even if the boss IS driving.

Obviously a lawyer could tell you for sure, but I'm pretty sure that if you slipped on your own property at a time when you are not on the clock, there's nothing you can do from that standpoint; it's a very, very unfortunate and painful accident.

I hope you get better soon.

 

[tharpdevenport]

This is what happens when people go to work.

Two words: workers' compensation. Call a lawyer.

It didn't happen at work.

Yeah, but it occurred in conjunction with going to work, so I can see avenues for a lawyer to at least explore.

However, on the other hand, your boss sounds a decent fellow, so it's up to you whether you actually want to explore those avenues. From what you describe, I don't think I'd particularly want to, if you're generally happy with things.

Get well soon!

I listen to Handel On the Law (radio program) quite often. These are my initial thoughts on whether or not you could sue the boss, based on listening to the fun show where people call up and ask Handel for marginal legal advice:

(I'm arguing like Bill would on the show -- he can be a dick)
Who are you suing? Your boss didn't cause you to slip. You can't sue yourself. You slipped outside your home. Yes, en route to work. It's not his legal fault you slipped.
You slip at a gas station from the same thing, with no negligence of the gas station's part -- you going to sue them? It's your own fault.

Now let's talk damages. How were you damaged? Your doctor going to go into court to testify, 'cause your word won't mean anything -- where'd you go to doctor school?
But there's no one to collect from since it was your own fault; you going to get a judgement against yourself?

 

[Aragorn]

So Batman gets his back broken by Bane the same time you happen to slip and fall and break your back too? Sounds awfully suspicious... Bruce.

 

[Shatnertage]

I hope you get better really soon. If anyone ever gives you any crap at work in the future, you can now truthfully say, "I've broken my back for this place."

Unfortunately, I'm 99% sure that this is nowhere near a workman's comp case.

 

[Guitarded]

Just for clarification, the thought of suing my boss never crossed my mind. I have no plans whatsoever to even attempt suing the company.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Do you live on a mountain, with that brokeback?

 

[DBR]

Sorry to hear it. I had a burst-compression fracture of my L1 in 2003, also from the god damn ice. Carrots and apples, my friend. Think happy thoughts.

And if I can go offer any advice... go buy an XBox.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I'm sorry to hear that as well. I have a twisting pelvis and spine that I'm dealing with right now. Not exactly a broken back but extremely painful and limiting.

 

[Guitarded]

My grandparents just called me after hearing the news. They're from my dad's side of the family and I don't talk to them much, so I didn't recognize their number. Very religious people with a very strict upbringing. I thought it was a friend I hadn't heard from in years.

Me: Hello?
Them: Tim?
Me: HOLY SHIT IS THIS WHO I THINK IT IS?!?!
Them: TIMOTHY WAYNE S-----S WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO TALK LIKE THAT??
Me: O_O

At that point, I immediately blamed it on the Lortabs and proceeded to segue my way into a normal conversation. Very awkward... I called them back with a "Lortab dosage question" followed up by "Can we keep my slip a little secret? I am so sorry and so embarrassed."

 

[Holdfast]

Blaming things on drugs is never a bad idea.

 

[Capn Flukie]

Ha ha! Your middle name is Wayne! *points and laughs*

Oh wait...

Shit.

Get better soon dude!

 

[J.Ashmore]

I hope you are healing well and get better! Back injuries suuccckk.

 

[Alpha Romeo]

Two words: workers' compensation. Call a lawyer.

It didn't happen at work.

You said your boss was picking you up. Was he taking you to work? If so, it happened at work.

 

[Alpha Romeo]

This is what happens when people go to work.

It didn't happen at work.

Yeah, but it occurred in conjunction with going to work, so I can see avenues for a lawyer to at least explore.

However, on the other hand, your boss sounds a decent fellow, so it's up to you whether you actually want to explore those avenues. From what you describe, I don't think I'd particularly want to, if you're generally happy with things.

Get well soon!

I listen to Handel On the Law (radio program) quite often. These are my initial thoughts on whether or not you could sue the boss, based on listening to the fun show where people call up and ask Handel for marginal legal advice:

(I'm arguing like Bill would on the show -- he can be a dick)
Who are you suing? Your boss didn't cause you to slip. You can't sue yourself. You slipped outside your home. Yes, en route to work. It's not his legal fault you slipped.
You slip at a gas station from the same thing, with no negligence of the gas station's part -- you going to sue them? It's your own fault.

Now let's talk damages. How were you damaged? Your doctor going to go into court to testify, 'cause your word won't mean anything -- where'd you go to doctor school?
But there's no one to collect from since it was your own fault; you going to get a judgement against yourself?

If Handle were right, I wouldn't have a job.

Just for clarification, the thought of suing my boss never crossed my mind. I have no plans whatsoever to even attempt suing the company.

No one said sue your boss. That's why they have workers compensation insurance. It's just a claim as against the workers compensation carrier.

 

[Noname Given]

I was excited that I would finally be able to get out of the house to work today (we had two feet of snow dumped on us a few days ago). My boss pulled up to my driveway, I made my way out the door, and lost my footing. My feet flew straight forward and I landed straight on my ass on the hard ice. I felt the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I figured maybe sitting down for a minute would help, so he drove us to work. It only got worse while I was there so I told him "Yeah, I need to go to the hospital."

My boss drove me to the hospital where I had both an X-ray and CT scan. A little while later, the doctor finally came back into the room. "I'm not sure how you did it, but you did a good job. You have a compression fracture in your T12 vertebrae. It lost 25% of its original height." I got stuck with a back brace, some Lortabs, and an upcoming appointment with a neurosurgeon.

At least I can still walk.

But still, WTF? Yesterday I walked 2 miles in this shit and got home perfectly fine. Today? I walk 10 feet and break my back. Damn it. Who breaks their back when they're 24? /le sigh

I've never broken my back, but I've strained it BADLY (was laid up for 12 weeks in 2007 - and DODN'T listen to the doctor; and am still paying for it.)

My point: DO EXACTLY what the doctor says, be comp0letely honest with him about pain, etc; and don't push or rush yourself. Let it heal fully and completely, or you WILL be hating life later.