Lived Experience Forum

[May23]

In June last year I had a fall at work in which I sustained injuries to my dominant hand/wrist and both ankles. I was bullied into returning to work before I was ready and so my recovery has had set backs. I was pressured by the rehab worker assigned to my case to allow the dr to give me clearance. She did this by making promises that were false and then she told the insurance company a different story. I was back at work struggling to cope with the work and pain but determined to push through. Just before new year there was an incident where I slipped and reinjured my ankle. Finally, after 2 months of back and forth the insurance company has finally made a decision about my work cover claim. This decision was to NOT accept liability for my current injuries. I'm still struggling with my injuries and my workplace is not a supportive one. The insurance company disputing my claim worsens my fear and anxiety over my boss's belief that I have been faking my injury. He has said this to my face. My mental health is extremely fragile at the moment and so I'm unsure if I can cope with the basic stress of work let alone the bullying I receive from my bosses.

Does anyone have any advice on how to cope with any of this?

[nashy]

Hey there @May23 I am so sorry to hear about what you've been up against. You've gone through a lot and no doubt the levels of physical pain you are experiencing are not helping your mental health, not to mention the emotional fatigue of dealing with your boss and the insurers. However just take a moment to acknowledge your incredibly immense strength and resilience, proven even moreso by your step in the direction of connecting with online peers here on the forums. There are options for you now such as AFCA who can help you dispute this lack of liability from your insurer, but ahead of that I am curious to know do you engage in any face to face support for your mental health? Through all of this you deserve qualified support, are you in touch with a psych or counsellor?

In the meantime the community is here to listen, please know you're not alone, and there are options out there for you

[May23]

Hi @nashy 

I am currently looking into my options in terms of work cover with the help of one of my counselors who is experienced in the area.

I am trying to take things one day at a time to keep my anxiety in check but at the same time still allowing myself to feel angry, sad and frustrated. Needless to say there's been a fair amount of crying but so far no panic attacks. 

Thanks for the support. Joining these forums has made me feel less alone ❤