Service retirement pending work comp claim

[tcop143]

[sigguy552]

My friends brother had to medically retire and it sounds like you do as well. It all boils down to math as I believe you're on 3% at 50 so you're at 69% vs whatever the medical AMT is which is also tax free I believe.

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[Samuelx]

Does your attorney specialize in that? If not, find one that does - there are a couple of decent firms/lawyers down here in So Cal...

[tcop143]

Does your attorney specialize in that? If not, find one that does - there are a couple of decent firms/lawyers down here in So Cal...

[003]

It is my observation that you are better off staying on the job until your retirement is finalized. Keep in mind, as long as you are on the payroll, you are filling a position in the organization. As soon as you leave that position opens up and can be filled by a new hire.

As long as you as "filling" a position, your organization has some motivation to move your case along so that they can hire a productive person. As soon as you leave they have no motivation to move in a timely manner which means it can be a very long time before they conclude your case. Also, if they deny your medical retirement, you have little to no leverage.

Now keep in mind, the above is my personal observation, certainly not legal advice. Perhaps if you "pushed" your attorney a bit he would be more responsive.

Be happy to share my experience if you are interested. PM if interested.

[M1NM]

I'm still "working" until mine is final. The Dr recommended surgery and WC denied it. Seeing a QME for 2nd opinion. I won't retire until I get the surgery and get done with rehab. It's been a stressful nightmare fighting WC from within. I can't imagine doing it as a retiree. They were POed when I wanted to see an ortho who specialized in spines rather than the carpal tunnel specialist they had on retainer.

[74c5]

Not sure if they've changed things, but 50% is 4850 retirement. With 23 years in, that would probably be a penalty unless you can buy military time or work another arrangement. I did it at 16 years in and went back for an engineering degree to try to catch back up to what my peers would, and did, retire with. Still working on that 23 years later.

[DEPUTYBILL]

Whatever terms of your retirement don't give up future medical coverage for treatment of issues related to your injury.

[Rover60]

[Spanky8601]

Slightly different thought here. If you are at your multiplier age say 3@50 then your decision might be easier. If you are say 44 years then if you retire then your multiplier will be a lot lower. Just something to think about.

[HAVOC5150]

I’m at 21 years, have had multiple knee surgeries, my shoulder is screwed my back is screwed. Meet the QME Monday, he said “you’re done”. You’re going to go back to work and you’re going to be right back to square one. He’s the third dr that has told me that my career is over. Started doing this when I was 19, hired full time at 21, half my life dedicated to the community I grew up in, it stung.

[micro911]

If your attorney is not talking to you about the options and the claims, find another attorney. Not all attorneys are good with worker's comp. I even had an attorney at the Marenstein firm. After I spoke with that attorney, I changed the firm.

[tcop143]

Thanks to everyone for all the replies, I really appreciate it. To further complicate matters the QME doc I’ve been seeing, and was supposed to see in January, didn’t renew his contract. I’m sure Chinavirus didn’t help, but it sounds as if my employer’s attorney won’t sign off on a replacement doc. My attorney made a QME appointment for me at the end of summer, just so we can have something on the calendar, but my employer previously rejected this doc.

In the meantime I’m burning through all my sick time that I saved for healthcare costs in retirement. I’ve gone through all of my 4850/vacation/comp time, and only have a couple of months of sick time left. Once my leave banks are used up I no longer will accrue PERS credit/vacation&sick time. It’s hard for me to see the point of not taking a service retirement when my leave banks are used up. I can be granted a medical retirement even if I take a service retirement.

I understand the logic behind staying on the books to hopefully compel them to deal with me, but from what I’ve learned, there’s nothing in place that really forces them to. They can basically run out the clock, and leave me with no options. As far as future medical treatment is concerned, I would have to consider myself a fool if I thought I could get treatment 10-15 years after separation when I can’t get anything now. It took damn near three years to get a nerve ablation. My spinal orthopedist said he could justify fusing me from L-2 down (not that he’s recommending that obviously, he just told me that to give me some idea what kind of shape my back is in), and I don’t think I’m at a point where the risk of surgery is worth the reward.

Two docs that I’ve seen have all but told me my career is over, and my QME doc all but said the same. Certainly not the way I want to go out, but the good Lord may have other plans for me. Not sure what because cop work is really the only thing I know. It’s just disgraceful how this is playing out.

[wazafuzz]

If it helps, after I was basically forced out by the administration of my department, I found a job with the Feds in a law enforcement but non sworn position that gave me a second retirement and lifetime medical benefits. There's lots of things you can do after a career as a cop. Good luck!

[tcop143]

If it helps, after I was basically forced out by the administration of my department, I found a job with the Feds in a law enforcement but non sworn position that gave me a second retirement and lifetime medical benefits. There's lots of things you can do after a career as a cop. Good luck!