I’m going to be homeless in about 6 months and likely dead soon after. I need a job to survive. I used to be a master plumber and make $120,000 USD. Now I’m crippled and can’t do sh!t.
I am very disabled from a work injury. I have spine and nerve damage making the left lower portion of my body useless. I also have bouts of severe cognative impairment and basically calm insanity due to not sleeping for days or weeks at a time due to the extreme and non stop pain from the spine injury. I’m to messed up to complete the things required to get help. I tried to buy help but it can not be bought. I have some money left but I need it to stay housed for as long as I can. I have some minor property to sell.
Workers comp screwed me as expected. They owe me 1.5 years of pay on top of medical and ride reinbursements. Over $100,000 USD. There is no real help. I’ve looked and looked. The whole system is corrupt and burning and people are going homeless and dropping like flies. There is no government or community help. Why do you think 30 vets kill them selves a day and there are so many homeless vets. I was the guy who helped everyone so there is no one who can help me. I don’t know what to do. I know I’m not going to make it homeless. And yes I’m on government Healthcare now and no they can’t help. It’s not real Healthcare. I’ve had decades of real health care. Government Healthcare is fake. No doctors that accept that insurance actually practice medicine. They only recommend what makes them the most money. You will never find a diagnosis or repair.
Any ideas or advice would be appreciated. Is there any way I can survive in my dying society? Should I resort to lashing out at the broken system that robbed me of 1/3 of everything I made mafia style and then threw me in the trash when I got hurt on the job? Silly and violent and criminal suggestion are OK. I will assume any illegal suggestions are jokes for legal purposes.
I’m very willing to work but very disabled and limited on what I can actually do that a business could hire me for. Oh and BTW the job market for my local and semi local jobs is very competitive. There is locals, out of towners, out of staters, teleworkers, visa holders, legal immigrants, illegal immigrants, young people, old people and senior citizens who can’t afford the sky rocketing cost of living all competing for basic low level work. The system is burning.
Mod notice: Stickying this post for a while, as OP seems to need all the (quality) help/advice they can get.
Keep any jokes tasteful and limited, and stay classy.EDIT: Wow, that went south real quick. Unstickied and locked. In other words, kick rocks, OP.
I have nothing to add
I just also want to be told to “Kick rocks, communist”
Unfortunately I can only pin my own comments.
Based response
I see in your comments that you are racist, hate taxes and show no love for more progressive countries. So I guess I can safely say you’re in line with your current president. You know what ? You got exactly what you deserve.
From OP’s comments I’m thinking karma and hate are the major operatives for their condition and situation.
Kick rocks pinko trash.
You deserve all this.
I curse your family with poverty
Kick rocks, capitalist
Dude, I feel for ya. I got a minor injury in work camp and it was hell; your situation is indescribably worse.
But I’m struggling with all the clear maga talking points going on here - the racism, more racism, the bootstraps comments, the acceptance of the class warfare, and the blaming it all on Biden. It doesn’t trouble me because it’s all maga stuff; it troubles me because it’s unfounded hate and transferrence. Like, this is the day maga people voted for, man, and instead of voting in a pro-people anti-crime DA already a threat to the rich guys maga got or nullified the votes to put the exact opposite guy into power.
If ya hate right-to-verk[sic] states, if you like Obamacare done fully, if you want actual support for workers and vets and non-rich people, the choice was clear; but maga wanted something else and got this.
I respect you for your service and your obvious experience. I hate maga for the damage they’ve caused to you and other normal people just working and living. If there is no help for you, then there’s not much to be done right now. This is a problem that started 40 years ago, and hamstring democrats can’t fix what unfettered conservatives do time and time again. I don’t blame you if you supported the maga grifters, as so many people did over so many terms before under different names. I blame them for making you think you’d get anything from them and nothing from the historically pro-people governments.
This is all as per their plan; even the blaming of refugees.
Kick rocks communist. I’m a free thinking independent
Have you looked into getting an attorney to help you collect the worker’s comp and get on disability? In cases like this, they typically don’t require an up front payment. They’ll take about a third of what they help you recover, but that might be preferable to getting nothing.
Virginia workers comp is an insurance mafia. They have illegally removed documents I filed for foia and begging for help pointing out the glaring corruption. You can not sue. There is no accountability. Trust me I already pressed the button for the “nuklear option”. The only thing I can remotely do is get a civil lawyer for a 42 U.S.C. § 1983. I’ve looked for lawyers to the best ky disability will allow me and so far I got 1 call back. No one cares about the plight of the common man.
As much as you hate government healthcare, I can kind of see that in your comments in your main post. Have you considered moving to Canada. You said you have six months of funding left , possibly go there. They have a fairly good healthcare system and maybe they can get you the help you need. Desperate times desperate measures. Another possibility is moving to a state that I have better healthcare in general. It’s well known throughout the US that any place in the southeast or general southeast of US is crap healthcare.
Minnesota’s got a decent healthcare system and benefits that might be able to help you. I’m just looking for options that might be able to help you. Going homeless is especially if your disabled is really bad.
Have you considered moving to Canada. You said you have six months of funding left , possibly go there.
It’s a little more than “moving to Canada”:
- apply for visa
- go while maintaining permanent residence elsewhere
- apply for residency
- get rejected since being on disability and not working is 100% rejection
- if you get accepted - crucially - you don’t get the subsidized healthcare for about a year of residence; you pay foreigner rates until then, and they’re 1/10 the cost of America but that’s still a lot.
Ive seen how horrific the Canadian Healthcare system is. It’s worse then America’s.
About the same to a point. You may wait for 12hrs for emerg in Canada but you don’t owe tens of thousands in fees after it like america. In Canada you go home and that’s it. Your done.
Private American Healthcare is not expensive. I just ran out of money because the system is corrupt and I had to pay for everything my self including multiple lawyers
I just saw an article about how a guy went to an american emerg got his temperature taken and looked over. He left and the bill was $7500. After insurance it was $750. Our son has autism and is also epileptic. He has been to the hospital (in Canada) on numerous occasions via ambulance. He has a top neurologist that he sees on the regular (every 2 months). We have paid 0 dollars including the sling he needed after falling during one of his seizures. Canada and americas systems are not the same.
I see where your going. Canada has like 7 hour wait lines to be seen for drop ins and some specialist are booked out for 1 to 2 years. I’ll pass. I will likely be killed by Somalians if I go to Minnesota so I’ll pass on that to. Moving in general would be very difficult for me. I would only be able to pull it off if I had a job lined up. Thank you for the suggestions. I can see where your heart is at. I don’t think they are viable.
I’ve lived in Minnesota my entire life. The number of Somalian attacks on non Somalian individuals is so small it’s barely worth mentioning. Before you think I’m hard core left… yeah I’m center of left. Some days I might actually be right of center, just depends on my mood. So yeah coming from a guy with that mindset trust me the problems from Somalians is very small. Honestly the bigger problem is way too many of them don’t know how to drive. There is no real violence issue. I’d suggest getting your news from a better source. You are living in fear when you don’t need to.
I don’t blame you for living in fear if that’s what you are seeing in your choice of news though. I can’t blame you for others bad info.
But if you are passing on Minnesota, maybe try Wisconsin. They have some good doctors there. I just don’t want to see you suffer if you don’t need to.
Hah, I once waited 12 hours in my local emergency department in the US, long wait times are not exclusive to Canada. The only difference is how much you pay after
In Canada, wait time depend on urgency. Booking an appointment usually results in a short wait (or occasionally even being seen at the scheduled time). I have booked same-day appointments, and booking out a week or two is common for me for things that aren’t urgent.
But what have you done to the Somalis in Minnesota that would make them want to kill you? Lol
A major sect Somalians have declared jihad on all whites. Surely you have noticed all the Somalian terrorist attacks on the news? Do you live in a communist are where the media is censored?
Wow…you just lost all sympathy with me as you’re clearly red pilled, been ingesting far too much crazy ass right-wingnut propaganda.
Good luck out there.Kick rocks communist. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt in your way out.
I’ve seen the cadian healthcare system. There a reason private insurance is a billion dollar industry in a country with communist health care. I’ll pass. It’s 10x wose then America’s.
Canada has like 7 hour wait lines to be seen for [drop-ins] and some specialist are booked out for 1 to 2 years. I’ll pass.
That’s a fair choice, and I respect it.
Note that wait times are based on triage, so if you’re bleeding or dizzy you go way before “dude with sniffles”. We don’t use your bank account to decide your priority.
I will likely be killed by Somalians if I go to Minnesota so I’ll pass on that to.
Well that’s a little racist. If you truly believe that, then please understand you may not mesh well with our society. Sorry.
Your in my society. Kick rocks communist.
Have the day you voted for, sir.
Ive never voted. The votes are all rigged. There is massive amounts of evidence and documentation of this. If you think your vote counts your a brainwashed goyum.
Good. Now stop spreading bullshit on the internet and you’ll approach the realm of being worth interacting with.
You wish. Sh!t in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first. Kick rocks commy scum.
Workers comp screwed me as expected. They owe me 1.5 years of pay on top of medical and ride reinbursements. Over $100,000 USD.
Have you talked to your state Attorney General office? Labor Commissioner / Labor Enforcement office? private employment attorney?
What about union support?
Ok, now we’re getting somewhere. Thank you Niabof for these new paths you have suggested.
I have not tried the following or the equivalent There of: -Labor commissioner -Labor Enforcement office
Can you use your internet tism to find me the contact info for the equivalent organizations of what your referencing for the state of virginia in the usa? Also I don’t have to fight any legal battles if I can get my spine fixed. It’s been over 3 years but maybe there is still a chance.
There are no private employment attorneys to my knowledge. The virginia workers comp system has complete and total control. There is literally no way to sue. I’ve spent thousands trying.
No unions. I. In virginia. Workers literally have no rights. It’s a “right to work state” which means means you will be worked to death and thrown away.
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry: https://doli.virginia.gov/
You probably want the Payment of Wage section: https://doli.virginia.gov/programs/labor-law/payment-of-wage/
Virginia Office of the Attorney General: https://www.oag.state.va.us/
Plumbers & Steamfitters Union based in Norfolk, VA:
https://www.ualocal110.org/about-company/
Probably not super helpful if you weren’t already a member, but if you get past this period you should consider joining.
There are always private employment lawyers. Here’s an example: https://www.berrylegal.com/practice-areas/private-and-public-sector-employment/virginia-employment-law/
Usually they’ll do a consultation for free. If they think you have a case they may take it on speculation.
Holy crap I hit the jack pot. Thank you Naibof for this wealth of information.
the broken system that robbed me of 1/3 of everything I made mafia style
is that line referring to taxes?
Yes. I’ve paid more in taxes then most Americans make in 10 years and have nothing to show for it.
I don’t have any wisdom, but as somebody whose back took me out of commission for a few years before I got some prosthetic discs, I just want to tell you I’m sorry you face this suffering. Being injured while wanting to work is the worst; even worse than the pain. I hope you find a path to comfort and happiness.
Thank you theherk for your kind words and empathy. I don’t see a positive outcome with the current conditions in society.
If you haven’t already, I’d start by applying for food benefits and utility assistance to reduce some of the financial pressure. The exact process varies by state but there might be an in-person or phone interview involved and whoever’s on the other side of that may be able to offer location-specific suggestions for your situation.
Get connected with a social worker if you can, they’ll be the local experts on what’s available to you and how to navigate the system. Legal aid to try and recover what you’re owed, disability benefits you may be eligible for, possibly some kind of job-hunting assistance that takes your injuries into account.
You mentioned the vet suicide numbers, was that just as an indication of another system that fails to meet peoples’ needs or are you a veteran? If the latter, the VA can help (in spite of the negative reputation as a whole) by tapping into funding sources or other resources not available to the general public as well.
I wouldn’t recommend a homeless shelter as a vacation destination but if it comes down to a choice between some form of indoor bed and the cleanest patch of dirty pavement, I’ll take the indoor bed 99/100 times. Might be worth looking up the ones near you as a backup plan in case things happen and you have a gap between residences. Beats trying to figure it out on your first night with no address, at least.
Ok cool, I see some quality advice here. Thank you betterdeadthanredit for these high quality suggestions.
I’m on food stamps now. I couldn’t do the online stuff to apply. I called and politely begged and we figured it out. They were kind and worked with me. I was also able to get electric assistance which is amazing because my electric bill doubled because of the data centers.
Government aid like social workers and such is a myth. That’s for like people who just over dosed. People like me don’t meet the requirements for help.
I’ve got as far as I can go with legal fights. I can not do what is necessary to get any further. I’ve talked to hiring agencies. No one will touch me and I offered big money. I’m to disabled.
Veteran suicide is why I know I’m cooked. If a country can take care of those who protect them then how can they take care of their sick and injured?
Your wise to know homeless shelters are dangerous. Very very dangerous. The one near me has had multiple mass over doses.
Another vote for getting a workers comp lawyer.
Also, the struggle you are facing in navigating the system while disabled is the reason social workers exist. So if you dont have one already, you should get one, and if yours sucks, you should do everything you can to get a better one.
Stay with family or friends instead of being homeless. If you were the guy who helped everyone, then someone you know has a couch you can crash. You should also be able to lean on your social network to help you find a good lawyer and social worker.
Hopefully you are in regular contact with your PCP - if they havent already, have them give you a perscription sleep aide. Hopefully getting a bit more sleep will help your mental state.
For the pain - you probably won’t like hearing this, but it’s in your head. All pain has always been in your head. It has to be. There is no other place for it to be. Your nerves respond to stimuli and send signals to your brain, of course - but it only becomes pain when your brain interprets those signals as Bad. From the sounds of things, these injuries will be with you for the rest of your life, at least to some degree. But the pain doesn’t have to be. Just like you can quickly get used to the smell of a stinky trash can if you stay in the same room for a while, or forget the sound of your refrigerator humming in the background, so too can you learn to let the signals your nerves are sending fade into background noise. Your current cycle is that your nerves send signals, so your brain interprets it as pain, and your conscious mind feels it and says “No no no no no! Bad bad bad!” This response tells the subconscious part of your brain that this is important information that it needs to deliver to you as urgently as possible. Breaking the cycle requires you, the conscious you, to recieve the message of pain and not react. To feel the pain, but remain calm, and become interested in and curious about the pain sensation itself. To notice the pain, but say “well that’s annoying, but I have more important things to do.” This non-reaction tells the subconscious part of your brain that these sensations are not an emergency - you got the message, it isnt very important or urgent. So the subconscious will stop reporting it as urgently.
I had a workers comp lawyer. I had to fire him. He openly admitted he was afraid to stand up for me. You can not comprehend how corrupt the workers comp system is. It’s literally created to defend companies from their actions and basic liability. That it.
Can’t get a social worker until I’m already homeless and by then I’ll be dead.
The pain is not in my head. I have a large section if spine with multiple disk popping out all over the place plucking my nerves like guitar strings. My feet and back go numb at times.
Family and friends isn’t an option. No one has room or money. Everyone is suffering.
