Archive for the ‘USPS Injuries’ Category
Tuesday, May 29th, 2012
The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) are fighting to avoid additional severe cut backs at the United States Postal Service (USPS). Congress is trying to cut jobs, close post office locations, and reduce mail delivery from 6 days to 5 days per week. The senate recently voted on legislation that eliminates Saturday mail delivery and cuts 100,000 jobs over the next 3 years. Now, the bill has to go thru the house, where far worse USPS cutbacks have been recommended.
The Senate bill also includes a workers compensation provision that would give people injured on the job just 50% of their pre-disability pay at retirement, compared to the 75% that is currently under law. Statistically, nearly 50% of all federal injured workers work for the USPS. So, this greatly and negatively affects postal employees. I’m worried that more injured federal employees will avoid getting treatment if they are going to lose money upon retirement.
At WOLMED, we treat a lot of injured federal employees, especially injured USPS employees. So, we hear a lot about the supposed USPS budget deficits and how the post office is losing money. The shocking part about this whole thing is the real reason for the mess. I found a letter written by Ralph Nader, dated September 21, 2011 ( http://nader.org/uploads/USPS-ltr.pdf ), that gives a very good explanation of how this whole thing came about.
In 2006, Congress passed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA). This bill requires the USPS to PREFUND 75 YEARS worth of future health care benefits to retirees over the next 10 years. So, by 2016, the next 75 years worth of retirees should have prefunded health benefits. This covers current USPS employees that haven’t retired yet AND EMPLOYEES THAT HAVEN’T EVEN BEEN HIRED YET. And this prefunding doesn’t even cover current retirees. What? To make matters worse, the Office of Personnel Management estimates that this prefunding will be over-funded by more than $13 billion by 2016. Additionally, the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) has been overpaid by the USPS by about $75 billion over a 37 year period, and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) was overpaid by nearly $7 billion. Nader says that if all of these over-payments were paid back into this pre-funded retirement package, that the USPS’ obligation to that fund would be complete and all of this crisis would be ended.
With this information, it’s easy to see why the APWU is calling this a “manufactured crisis”. An unprecedented 75 years of retired postal employees (including USPS employees who haven’t even been hired yet) will have their health benefits pre-funded within the next 4 years. This is likely to be over-funded and retirement has been over-paid. If all of this were corrected, the postal service would show a profit each year. However, since congress created the problem, now it wants to correct it by cutting jobs, closing post offices, and reducing service.
Why not just change the law, correct the parts of this plan that don’t make sense, pay back all over-payments, and watch this crisis disappear?
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Posted in DOL/FEDERAL WORKERS COMP, USPS Injuries | No Comments »
Monday, June 6th, 2011
OSHA publishes its Federal Injury and Illness Statistics for each fiscal year. In 2010, United States Postal Employees were among the most affected, by work-related injury and illness, of all federal employees. In past years, the USPS had 48,000+ reported cases of injury and illness. 2010 was improved, with 40,588 reported cases. Incidentally, 40,588 is 2nd only to the Federal Government (executive, legislative, and judicial branches combined) with 67,996 cases.
I like to report on this information each year because the statistics are very interesting. US Postal Employees have very physically demanding jobs. In 2010, nearly 7% of the 593,850 USPS employees reported cases of work injury or illness. That’s about 1 in 14. With that in mind, take a look at the following data.
The Census Bureau reported 18% of its employees as having work related injury and illness.
Customs and Border Protection had nearly 10%
The Forest Service had just over 7%.
The Bureau of Prisons had almost 7%.
Those 4 agencies are the only federal agencies with a higher incidence of work-related injury and illness than the United States Postal Service.
The Department of Defense had 2.58%
The FBI had 3.36%
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had 5.32%
The Social Security Administration had 1.25%.
The Department of Veteran’s Affairs had 3.74%.
If you are a USPS employee, your chances of sustaining a work injury are very high. Call WOLMED if you are hurt on the job. We can help you today.
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Tags: Federal Workers Comp, Injured Workers, Post Office Injuries, Postal Employees, Postal Workers, Social Security Administration, Transportation Security Administration, TSA, United States Postal Service, US Post Office, USPS, Veteran's Affairs, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP
Posted in DOL/FEDERAL WORKERS COMP, United States Postal Service, USPS Injuries | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
WOLMED in Dallas, TX specializes in work injuries, especially work injuries from the Department of Labor (DOL Injuries). Treating injured workers in federal workers compensation is different from work injuries in Texas Workers Compensation. The rules are very different. The required forms are different. Impairment Ratings (Schedule Awards) work differently too. You really have to be careful when choosing a treating doctor in federal workers compensation because lots of doctors are very good at Texas Workers Compensation, but they may not have the specialized knowledge and specialized staff needed to do the best possible job for injured DOL patients. What if your CA forms are filled out wrong? For starters, that’s very bad. This could cost you a lot of money in lost wages (at least temporarily) and if the mistake is serious enough, it could cost a person their job unnecessarily. In DOL / Federal Workers Comp, the injured workers simply can’t afford these kinds of mistakes. So, choose a doctor who is an expert in Federal Workers Comp / DOL. This is critically important.
At WOLMED, we treat a high number of injured workers from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) and from the United States Postal Service (USPS). They like that in addition to us being experts in Federal Workers Compensation, we also use Medical Doctors who can manage every aspect of an injured worker’s medical care. And, the patients / injured workers like WOLMED too because we always make patients #1. These federal injured workers always give us excellent feedback and high ratings.
If you or someone you know and love are hurt at work for a federal agency like the VA or the Post office, you need to give WOLMED a call. We will get you in today and immediately begin helping you get better. We will do our part to keep your job safe and you will get better and be happy.
We want to be your Federal Workers Comp doctor.
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Tags: Department of Veterans Affairs, DOL, DOL Workers Comp, Federal Work Injuries, Federal Workers Comp, Injured Workers, Post Office Injuries, Postal Employees, Postal Workers, United States Postal Service, USPS, USPS Injuries, VA, VA Injuries
Posted in DOL/FEDERAL WORKERS COMP, United States Postal Service, USPS Injuries | 8 Comments »
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
WOLMED treats patients who were injured working for the post office. Since 2008, the medical doctors at WOLMED have treated 134 people who work for the United States Postal Service. Federal workers comp has different rules than state workers comp. A doctor who treats patients under the Department of Labor must be more highly specialized in those federal rules than doctors who treat only state workers comp.
Federal workers comp has special forms that must be filled out and submitted to the DOL and to the employer. If these forms are not filled out correctly and on-time, it could cause serious problems for the injured worker, including loss of pay, loss of injury benefits, and loss of job.
If you’re hurt at work for the post office, you need to choose your doctor very carefully. There are a lot of really good doctors out there, but if your doctor doesn’t specialize in federal workers comp and doesn’t understand the rules that injured postal employees and other injured federal workers must follow, you could have a lot of problems – other than the injury itself.
WOLMED does specialize in federal workers compensation. We understand the rules set forth by the Department of Labor and we pride ourselves in having excellent patient outcomes and excellent patient satisfaction scores. Our patients get better. They are happy. And – they don’t experience the hassles that are possible when the doctor isn’t a federal workers comp expert.
If you or someone you know was injured working for the post office or any other federal agency, choose WOLMED for the treatment of your federal workers comp injury.
We want to be your doctor!
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Tags: back pain doctor, back specialist, doctor dallas, doctor denton, doctor for postal injuries, Federal Workers Comp, Injured Workers, Pain Management Dallas, Pain Management Denton, post office doctor, Post Office Injuries, postal employee doctor, Postal Employees, Postal Workers, United States Postal Service, US Post Office, USPS, USPS Employees, USPS Injuries
Posted in USPS Injuries | No Comments »
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
According to CBS 11, the DFW area set a record of 9.4″ of snow – the most snow to ever fall in a single calendar day (as of 9:30pm). The roads were slick and terrible. Schools were closed, businesses closed early, and the post office delivered. The road in front of my house had snow up to the top of the curb and the mailman drove his mail truck from one mailbox to the next and at just about the same time as every other day. I was amazed at the perseverance of the United States Postal Service. They really do deliver the mail regardless of the weather. I think we should all make an effort to meet our postal delivery person and say thank you. They have a really hard job and they often risk their safety in the line of duty, like today. We all get our mail on time, every day, come rain or snow, because the USPS goes the extra mile. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
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Tags: Auto Injuries, Car Wrecks, Emergency Room, ER, Federal Workers Comp, Injured Workers, Minor Emergency, Minor Emergency Dallas, Minor Emergency Denton, Post Office Injuries, Postal Employees, Postal Workers, United States Postal Service, Urgent Care, Urgent Care Dallas, Urgent Care Denton, US Post Office, USPS, USPS Employees, USPS Injuries, WOL+MED, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP
Posted in United States Postal Service, USPS Injuries | 1 Comment »
Friday, December 18th, 2009
In order to remain CARF accredited, WOL+MED is required to provide access or referral to legal entities for appropriate representation and to have information available to our patients regarding advocacy. In other words, we are required to help patients find attorneys who can help them with the legal aspects of their work injuries. Workers Comp attorneys can be very helpful for injured workers. Very often, people who were hurt on the job have trouble getting their injuries approved by the insurance carrier and sometimes they have difficulty getting their entire injury claim accepted. Attorneys can file for Benefit Review Conferences (BRC) and Contested Case Hearings (CCH) that often clear up the problems that injured workers have for getting treatment.
BRC’s and CCH’s can be overwhelming and intimidating for injured workers because they have to attend the hearings and represent themselves against lawyers and other workers comp experts who are trying to keep their case closed. If the case is closed, then injured workers can’t get the treatment they need to get better. When they can’t get better, they often lose their jobs, suffer from depression and financial loss, and more. Workers Comp attorneys can usually prevent these bad things from happening.
CARF recognizes the need for patients to have legal advocacy and so does WOL+MED. We can recommend very good, qualified workers compensation lawyers who will help get your case open or keep it open and help get your work injuries accepted by the insurance carrier.
Some people worry that they will have to pay the attorney and that usually is not true. Most of the time, the workers comp attorney is paid a percentage by insurance carriers, but ONLY when you get paid and ONLY when your case is going well. These lawyers have to do the right job for you before they ever get paid. The other thing that is very important to remember is that if you have to be off work due to a work injury that is not accepted by the insurance carrier, you most likely will not get paid. When your attorney gets your claim approved, that also keeps your checks coming. Many patients think that’s worth it since they wouldn’t get paid without their attorney.
When you’re hurt at work, the last thing you should have to worry about is if you will have insurance problems or if you will have to pay money out of your own pocket to get treatment. It’s not fair to you when that happens. WOL+MED helps you with these problems by recommending very good, qualified workers comp attorneys to be in your corner.
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Tags: Ankle Injuries, Attorneys, Back Injuries, CARF, Federal Workers Comp, Fractures, Injured Workers, Knee Injuries, Lawyers, Minor Emergency, Minor Emergency Dallas, Minor Emergency Denton, Post Office Injuries, Postal Employees, Postal Workers, School Injuries, Shoulder Injuries, United States Postal Service, University of North Texas, UNT, Urgent Care, Urgent Care Dallas, Urgent Care Denton, USPS Injuries, WOL+MED, Work Comp, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP, Workers Comp Attorneys
Posted in Attorney, Chronic Pain, Healthcare, Law, Lawyer, Minor Emergency, Pain Management, Urgent Care, USPS Injuries, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP, Workers Comp Attorney, Workers Compensation | 2 Comments »
Friday, December 11th, 2009
WOL+MED has earned its 3rd straight maximum CARF accreditation for Pain Management, Work Hardening, and Work Conditioning. CARF stands for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehab Facilities. This is the international “Gold Standard” in rehabilitation. By the end of the current accreditation period, WOL+MED will have been accredited for a full decade. To become CARF accredited, a medical / physical therapy facility has to meet or exceed hundreds of standards for excellence. Among these standards are those requiring accessibility into the rehab programs, tracking of excellent outcomes, patient satisfaction, maintaining an excellent medical team, effective business operations, maintaining a safe treatment environment, and much more. CARF accreditation is an ongoing effort which means that WOL+MED is committed to always providing the highest level of service to its patients and their families. We don’t have to be CARF accredited. After all, it’s really hard. We do it because we know that it makes us better and because we know that it’s important to our patients.
At last check, WOL+MED has the only CARF accredited Pain Management program between Dallas and St. Louis, Missouri (traveling along I-35). We’re proud of our program and of our patients’ results. The majority of people who complete our programs get better and are able to get their life back. With our continued CARF accreditation, we’re committed to that high level of excellence.
If you know someone who suffers with chronic pain or they haven’t gotten the results they expect from other places, please tell them about WOL+MED’s CARF accredited pain management program. Go to our web site and read the testimonials from other patients who experienced success with WOL+MED. We can help.
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Tags: Ankle Injuries, Auto Injuries, Back Injuries, Car Wrecks, Chronic Pain, Denton ISD, Emergency Room, ER, Federal Workers Comp, Fractures, Injured Workers, Knee Injuries, Lewisville ISD, Minor Emergency, Minor Emergency Dallas, Minor Emergency Denton, Pain Management, Pain Management Dallas, Pain Management Denton, Post Office Injuries, Postal Employees, Postal Workers, School Injuries, Severe Pain, Shoulder Injuries, Texas Womens University, TSA, TWU, United States Postal Service, University of North Texas, UNT, Urgent Care, Urgent Care Dallas, Urgent Care Denton, US Post Office, USPS, USPS Employees, USPS Injuries, WOL+MED, Work Comp, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP
Posted in Chronic Pain, Healthcare, Minor Emergency, Pain Management, United States Postal Service, Urgent Care, USPS Injuries, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP, Workers Compensation | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Many people don’t realize that WOL+MED also provides minor emergency services in its Denton and Dallas clinics. We take walk-in appointments and we are open until 8pm during the week and for most of the day on Saturdays. Dr. Robert Helsten, MD is an expert in helping patients with emergency needs. Before coming to WOL+MED Dr. Helsten served in an emergency room for several years. Along with Dr. Helsten, Dr. Rodney Shultz, DC, PA-C is an experienced Chiropractor and Physicians Assistant. He is very well trained in suturing large wounds, which is a common injury found in Minor Emergency Clinics. WOL+MED is able to help patients with high fever, large cuts, sprains & strains, flu symptoms, vomiting, dehydration, fractures, back injuries, shoulder injuries, knee and ankle injuries, and much more.
If you or a loved one requires urgent care or help for a minor emergency, please give WOL+MED a try. We are an excellent alternative to the sometimes brutal wait times of the emergency room. Our medical team is always ready to help you.
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Tags: Ankle Injuries, Auto Injuries, Back Injuries, Car Wrecks, Emergency Room, ER, Fever, Fractures, High Fever, Influenza, Knee Injuries, Lacerations, Minor Emergency, Minor Emergency Dallas, Minor Emergency Denton, Shoulder Injuries, Urgent Care, Urgent Care Dallas, Urgent Care Denton, USPS Injuries, WOL+MED, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP
Posted in Auto Injuries, Healthcare, Minor Emergency, United States Postal Service, Urgent Care, USPS Injuries, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP, Workers Compensation | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
WOL+MED has teamed up with the North Texas Food Bank to help feed families in need. The North Texas Food Bank uses a virtual food drive so that anyone can get involved. When you don’t have time to go to the grocery store and buy canned food, you can instead donate money online. When you don’t have time to take food to the food bank, you can donate money online. WOL+MED employees made enough donations during the Thanksgiving holiday to provide over 4,000 meals! We will continue to support the North Texas Food Bank thru the Christmas holiday and throughout 2010. If you would like to make a donation, you can click on the food bank icon located on WOL+MED’s home page. Thank you for your support!
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Tags: Auto Injuries, Federal Workers Comp, FEMA, Injured Workers, New Patient Referrals, North Texas Food Bank, Post Office Injuries, Postal Employees, Postal Workers, TSA, United States Postal Service, US Post Office, USPS, USPS Employees, USPS Injuries
Posted in Auto Injuries, Healthcare, United States Postal Service, USPS Injuries, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
WOL+MED has helped hundreds of injured postal employees over the years. We’ve seen injuries from lifting heavy packages, repetitive mail sorting, climbing stairs, and more. I have personally had the opportunity to be on-site at a local post office to witness the hard work these federal employees go thru daily to get their jobs done. It’s hard to believe (unless you’ve seen it first hand) just how hard of a job postal workers have. Each year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts out data on the number of injured federal employees and the US Postal Service has by far the most, with nearly 50,000 reported cases per year.
When these folks get hurt, the federal government does an excellent job at covering their medical expenses. The biggest problem for these injured workers is finding a qualified medical doctor who treats federal workers comp. Even among workers comp doctors, it’s hard to find someone who even understands federal rules well enough to treat federal injured workers. Of course, at WOL+MED, the medical doctors are federal workers comp experts, but we had to learn a lot of hard lessons along the way before we got to be as good as we are now. We love to treat injured postal employees and other injured federal employees. And guess what? Those people love to come to WOL+MED to get treatment.
We find that a very high percentage of injured workers will refer their friends, family, and coworkers to us. That’s usually what happens when a patient trusts us. They want the people they know to have the same good experience. It just makes sense. WOL+MED BBQ’s for all of its patients at lunch time usually 2 or 3 times per month. We like to do patient appreciation parties and we give patient appreciation gift bags for new patients. We have games like Wii and a pool table too. Why shouldn’t a visit to the doctor be fun? That’s our philosophy because we truly believe that patients are #1.
So, check us out. Hopefully, you won’t ever get hurt at work, but if you do, choose WOL+MED. If you know of any federal employees who were hurt at work, please tell them about us. We’re always ready to help new patients, even with same-day appointments.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REFERRALS!
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Tags: FEMA, Post Office Injuries, Postal Employees, Postal Workers, TSA, US Post Office, USPS, USPS Injuries, Work Comp
Posted in Healthcare, United States Postal Service, USPS Injuries, WORK INJURIES, WORKERS COMP, Workers Compensation | No Comments »
