About chuck1549

I have sent this to all my Government Representatives but they are to busy. I hope this will be read and help will be offered.

When I first wrote you for help do to my workman’s compensation denial with my back and the decision against me your staff member called me back and told me to contact Craig Fry's office for help. I have e-mailed him 3 times and phoned and left 5 messages with no response and I am at my wits end. I will now pursue my occupational disease case that will probably last another 3 years as the back case took. I have always been a hard worker and supported my family with the belief that my wife stay home and raise our kids no matter how hard we would struggle. I have 15 year old twin daughters and a 13 year old son that have excelled in their school and sports. My daughters currently carry a 4.0 GPA, and my son at first had problems until we found he suffered from ADHD and was put on adderall. In one grading period he went from straight Ds to all as and 2 Bs we are very proud ophpf our kids. I never want a free hand out and have earned my way. The company I worked for was Trail Master Custom Boat Trailers as their lead sandblaster. I carried the company on my shoulders for 12 years and produced 5 times the output then any employee in the shop. I am not trying to build myself up to you I just want you to have an idea of what I am about. Trail Master is a Non-union shop that has certain untold rules that we know that will have us fired. When I first hurt my back I did not file for workman’s compensation for I knew I would lose my job, and now I wish I had for that is the biggest question I have to answer. People do not understand that I needed to put my family in front of my injury, as I did report it to Chris Krieger (owner) and Karl Erickson (General Manager) of my injury and needed to seek medical care and that is when I began to see Dr. Kotoske of my problems. He sent me to receive a MRI and found that I had a combination of degenerated discs, ruptured disc's and bulging discs. He has treated me with a combination of medication and manipulation which I went for once a month and paid out of pocket. For me to go to the Dr Once a month I would have to fill out a day off sheet prior to my visit which was signed by me, Chris and Karl. The night sandblaster would be notified that on the day of my visit he would need to come in early. In my Dr's deposition he stated that the injury was a result of the physical labor associated with my position. It was not exactly an injury that was pinpointed to one specific time but the stress that my back had endured through repetition of my job. The date that the injury actually brought me notice was in 2004, and I continued to work, with my employer having knowledge of my injury. In Dec. 2004 I was working and felt something that was not the same as I felt before in my back. I went to Chris and Karl and explained what had happened and I was told to continue working and my reply was this was s not the usual pain I had felt before, which I had worked in conditions that I could barely walk but with me not working I was making no money. I finally asked if they would lay me off for at that time of year they would take voluntary layoffs. They told me that it was not an option for me because they needed me there. I was in a position in which I did not know what to do. Finally I went into the office and told them that I wanted to go to the company doctor. Karl told me there was no company doctor. After a little while Chris and Karl called me into the office and explained that they would lay me off to seek care for my back and get it repaired, but one condition was that I had to sign a medical leave document and with the only thing on my mind was the support of my family. I explained the situation to Dr. Kotoske and with not surgery as an option if I had planned to go back to work   We came to the conclusion mt injuries were not capable of repair through this method and the only other alternative was that I found an easier position. In March Karl called me back to work and I explained my Dr would not release me to sandblast and that I need an easier position. Karl and I negotiated a new position as a prepper in the paint dept. with a cut in pay and a bonus share taken away. I returned to work the next day and began my new position. I worked for about an hour and Chris (Owner) came and started discussing my injury and asked if I would call my Dr and ask for a release that I could sandblast in emergency situations. My Dr. faxed a report to Trail Master stating that we in no way would release me to do the sandblasting job in no circumstances.  At approx. 9 Am I was called into the office and met with Chris and Karl and was informed with the decision of my Dr. they had no other choice but to terminate my position. I was in shock and confused and called my wife explained it to her and she came and picked me up. My first step was to regroup and refilled for my unemployment. I then receive a letter from the unemployment office that my unemployment benefits were denied do to the reason that the same day I was terminated Karl had called and stated that they had tried to call me back for 10 days and I never returned their calls, so they had no alternative but to terminate me. I quickly appealed the decision and explained what had really happened and the unemployment office made an investigation and found that I had been wrongfully fired do to the reason that the had knowledge of my injuries and had no real claim to my termination and my benefits were restored. I attained a workman’s comp. attorney and filed a suit. In aprox. 2 years I had a hearing with the workman's compensation judge. I explained in testimony what had happened in the same manner of this letter to you. In Chris and Karl's testimony they testified under oath that they had no knowledge of my injury and no knowledge of me going to the Dr once a month only that I would take half a day off once a month. They testified that no day off authorization slips and that I had requested a medical leave and they did not know why but they went ahead and complied. They went into the testimony of my return to work and Chris and Karl stated that I had been called back to work and was given the preppers’ job and after 3 hours I had just left without talking to them. They then explained that I was the best worker they had ever had and I did not miss work and I would go above and beyond my position to help in any department that needed it. My father and wife were in the back of the room and showed discussed with Chris and Karl's testimony as my dad had very harsh feelings against them. The reason he had was that he had tripped at work over a fender that was placed in the middle of the floor and cracked his knee. He went on workman’s comp and when the Dr released my dad he went to work and was told his position was no longer available. He was devastated at the age of 60 or 61 what was he to do. As we left the court room the judge looked at me and stated that I should pat my father and wife on the back for the expressions of disgust they exhibited through the hearing. After 3 long months’ we finally received the decision that was in favor of the employer, that they were not guilty of any responsibility due to my not reporting my injuries and had left my job willingly. I was in a state of shock and could not understand how this decision went with the Unemployment investigation and the 2 different false testimonies on the reasons I had been terminated. My attorney had no answers and quickly appealed the decision. My attorney requested a transcript of the prior hearing looking for answers. 6 months went by and still no date had been set and we found that the transcript had not been made and signed for and until that was finished a date for a hearing could not be set. We finally received a hearing date and my attorney went an explained the conflicts of testimony and the decision of the judge. We waited for the decision to come and after 2 months we received the decision that the board found in favor of the earlier decision by majority rule. Again I was stunned that these false testimonies and great injustices were over looked and has left my family in great despair. The stress in my family has caused my children to seek help of a therapist and my marriage has suffered a great deal. I have looked for employment which no employer will hire me with me medical problems and disability has denied me which I have appealed which the burden should be placed on my former employer and not the tax payers. I have been enrolled into a online college to study Business for me to try and find a new career. My family has had to survive on food stamps, tariff check which I am grateful for and again tax payers are paying for my condition. We have to seek help from the trustee and other sources of poor relief while my employer gets away with this injustice and often make jokes of what had has happened to me to friends still employed there but would not admit it due to warnings from Karl and Chris that anyone to go to my defense would be terminated, and I can not blame them for that have families also and they have seen what the company did to me and my father. I have often considered leaving my family thinking they would be better without me and I have considered suicide giving them a chance at a better life. I do not know where to turn, I have contacted all my news stations and newspaper and I have been ignored. I sent letters like the first one that I sent you to all political offices and you have been the only one who has made an effort to contact me. Why must my family suffer in such a manner for lies and destroyed documentation, evidence pointing to the employers lies of my termination. I have worked hard all my life and did the best I could for Trail Master and this is my payment for this. How can the state of Indiana as well as the national Government ignore my cry for help and discard my family. I need help and I need it fast. I beg you please do not disregard my plea to you for help, I have no where to turn and am losing my reason for living. I have put a great burden on my family that they should not have to contend with. I am trying to start a new career with my schooling but is very hard when you have no one to turn to.