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Thread: By chance, is there a working LEO member here continuing with a qualified disability?

  1. #1

    By chance, is there a working LEO member here continuing with a qualified disability?

    I’m not asking anyone to publicly state what that might be openly,,,, but I’d be interested in hearing from you if you care to share your story.

    I’ve recovered from a serious illness that has brought extreme changes to my life. I’ve chosen to continue patrol and finish out my last few years with the help of a modified ballistic vest. This is not the only community I’ve asked.....

    This site seems to be a well ran forum.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uRBvMzKZEFY

  2. #2
    Site Supporter Erick Gelhaus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    The Wasatch Front
    With terminology and standards varying from state to state, can you describe what a "qualified disability" is?

    A fair number of cops I worked with, myself included, had experienced some sort of line of duty injury that resulted in some sort of disability percentage rating. Never mind veterans came into the career with pre-existing injuries from the military that also had ratings. I know what my percentage is via the VA, but I can't recall what my final percentage was cop-wise; though mine is a service retirement (years) not a medical one.

  3. #3
    You’d probably have to ask HR. With my dept as long as you pass the obstacle course and qualify you’re good to go. There’s a few cops I would not want backing me up with or without a disability. There’s quite a few cops with bad knees that were injured on duty here that work through it. Torn ACLs and more. I have a VA percentage myself. Heck we even had one guy 100% VA. I don’t envy him at all his back was seriously bad. But he could fight if needed.

    My advice get off the road unless road patrol is cake in your area. It ain’t cake here it’s punishment. Your health is more valuable than your community. Best thing I ever did was get off the road.
    Last edited by Obelisk; 11-27-2019 at 04:04 PM.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter
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    Jun 2014
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    Mesa, AZ
    I herniated the first disc fighting with a prisoner who said he wasn't going to jail. He went to jail and I went to the hospital in traction. I remember the doctor telling me I had a 70% chance of making a 90% recovery. I laughed and said I hadn't heard any "100%" in that. I went back to uniform patrol, then detective bureau, and finally as the chief firearms instructor at the academy. During all that (11 years from the first injury) I herniated two more discs.

    County risk management decided I was an industrial injury waiting to happen and suggested a medical retirement. I told them I wanted to finish out my 20 years. They said I couldn't pass the physical and I said I hadn't yet taken the newly introduced fitness test. They said I couldn't take it because I might cause another back injury (my low back was a wreck by then). They gave me the option of a medical or being fired as unfit. I took the retirement and started my own firearms training business which I ran for 10 years.

    Dave
    Last edited by Dave T; 12-02-2019 at 09:59 AM.

  5. #5
    Site Supporter
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    May 2015
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    America
    That’s pretty much what happened to me; I herniated a disc in my lower back. I just drove on in patrol and it made me mean. I was always hurting and grumpy 50% of the time. I had lost my patience for the shitheads. I changed duty belts to a curved safariland duty belt with an inner pad and used suspenders. That belt saved my career. It allowed me to go another five years. I could still do everything just now it hurt and I was slower. I would come home after shift and sit on a huge ice pac made to wrap around your knee on my lower back. I would stay there until I was numb. Then I was on a traffic stop and a minivan drove into the back of my patrol vehicle at 50 mph. Totaled one brand new mini van, a brand new Ford Expedition (work was pissed about that; the expo only had 3000 miles) and my back/ career. Three more herniated discs, a torn disc, torn labrum and rotator cuff , traumatic carpal tunnel and permeant nerve damage. Dozens of shots in my spine, shoulder surgery and then worker’s compensation wants me gone. My choice was retire with a medical pension or risk being fired. I retired with 19.5 years on. The final choice was not mine. the township doctor said “I’m not signing off on you” I admit by the time I saw the township doctor I had stopped fighting the inevitable. When I told my FOP lawyer I did not want to go he suggested I talk to my doctor. I asked my doctor about returning to work. He said it was possible. I then asked him if I was his brother what would he say. Instantly he said “ retire; you are going to get hurt again” after it was all said and done I retired and then I went to the VA since workers comp blamed my injuries on the military. I didn’t list any of my police injuries; just injuries from 21 years in the army and guard. But the VA rated me at 100%. The VA gave me hearing aids so I can’t complain at all.
    Last edited by Poconnor; 12-04-2019 at 02:09 AM.

  6. #6
    Over 20 years ago I was diagnosed with MS. I was hospitalized and spent almost four months off work. When I returned to work I still had to self cath because I still couldn’t urinate on my own. My neurologist told me to quit the cop job. I asked him if it was because I wouldn’t be physically able to work and he stated that wasn’t the problem. It was just his opinion that I was crazy for wanting to stress myself that much and he was willing to sign anything I needed for a medical retirement. Instead he cleared me for duty. I got a second opinion and another letter clearing me for duty. I then went to my primary doctor and got a third letter clearing me for duty. I did this because of rumors I heard about something the brass was going to do. That turned out to be unfounded. Getting at least two clearance letters a year was my regular habit. No one ever required a fitness for duty exam by the county doctor. Eight years after diagnosis and over 20 letters from my doctors clearing me for duty each year we got a new boss. This one decided I needed a day off because another person ran into me while I was in a vehicle pursuit of a robbery suspect. The other driver was cited for failure to yield and was at fault, but I still needed a day off to “think about what I did wrong”. A few weeks later a deer ran into the side of my prowler. I handled a late call and this happened two hours after the end of my shift as I was heading home. This is when they decided I needed a fitness for duty exam because obviously the MS was causing me problems. The fitness for duty exam was canceled when I reminded them of the letters in my personnel file and gave them my attorney’s phone number. I told them to schedule the exam through him.
    Several of my co-workers were interviewed about me. The new boss didn’t like the way I spoke my mind about some things and figured it had to be because of the MS. A few people backed me up. Others said what he wanted to hear so they wouldn’t get their turn in the barrel. I won that fight also.
    My point is that be sure you want to stay. If you do be prepared for a fight. Be prepared that any mistake you make, any perceived change in behavior or change in administration can find you defending yourself from a lot people you thought supported you.
    Last edited by KPD; 12-09-2019 at 12:48 AM.

  7. #7
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Maryland
    Wow, KPD! I thought I was screwed over by my former department because of diabetes, but you clearly have me beat. Amazing what command staff (not all, of course) and their toadies will do when they know (because they are all-knowing) it will never happen to them.

  8. #8
    About 6 years ago I herniated two discs in my lower back. Did chiropractor, 6 epidurals, physical therapy, you name it. Pain was bad down my right leg. It lasted for three years. I came up with some techniques to get rid of it. 99% of the time I’m out of pain now. If I do something stupid I’ll get a small flare up with pain I can live with. Then I apply my technique and it’s gone. If anyone is interested on what I did let me know, I’m happy to help but what helped me won’t help everyone. It will be a wall of text, but good info.

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Somewhere in the Chequamegon
    I went through the FBI NA with a deputy who only had one arm. He still did the job in the real world and did the work at NA to get both yellow (obstacle course) and blue bricks (blue = swim 34? Miles).

    Every place is different though. People are too, I guess.

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