Vocational retraining?

[babydol]

Hello. I was injured last year and have had 2 back surgeries since then. Here in a few weeks, if things get a little better, I should be having my last Doctors appt. He has told me that he doesn't want me going back to my job due to the high risk of re-injury. He also has made many recommendations for vocational retraining. I loved my job and it paid really well, it was my career. Now I have to learn to do something new and try to make the same money I did back then. So, school starts in August. I have never heard from work comp. Do they ever pay for "vocational retraining"? And will they stop sending me weekly checks after my last Doctors appt? Even when I can't go back to work?? If anyone has any info please let me know. Thank you.

[jayne]

well we need a few things like your state.....what was your injuries and have you a lawyer...

[Lilly]

Hopefully you will be offered voc rehab, or can ask about it.
As jayne said....we need your state you were injured in.

thanks, Lilly

[babydol]

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm in OKlahoma. And The 1st surgery was in Oct 2007 posterior L5-S1 fusion. And then a month ago I had the hardware removed. Unfortunately I'm still have bad radiating pain going down my left leg...

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

If you don't have an Attorney, you should or could call the Insurance Carriers Adjustor, and ask them about the re-training program, and Vocational Work Rehab Program.


For other information, you can call or write your State Work Comp Board.

Employers and employees may call a counselor at the OWCC, at 405-522-8760 or toll-free at 800-522-8210, or visit the OWCC’s web site at http://www.owcc.state.ok.us.

[jayne]

do you have a lawyer to help you ...the okla system is hard....I also was hurt in oklahoma and without my lawyer I would have been screwed......I believe voc training is offered at least it was to me at a cost of no more than 2,000 dollars total...wasnt a whole lot of training to be done with that......have you tried to get SSDI? as you have been off nearly a year...

[babydol]

jayne Wrote:do you have a lawyer to help you ...the okla system is hard....I also was hurt in oklahoma and without my lawyer I would have been screwed......I believe voc training is offered at least it was to me at a cost of no more than 2,000 dollars total...wasnt a whole lot of training to be done with that......have you tried to get SSDI? as you have been off nearly a year...

Yes, I do have a lawyer but he hasn't answered those questions for me. I've been off work for over a year now. I didn't know I was able to get SSDI. I was able to get a small pell grant to pay for a 1/4 of my school costs. But I don't know how I'm going to pay for the rest. Or even how I'm going to be able to pay bills once I stop getting checks while going to school.

[jayne]

well by golly ask him.......and make an appt with SSDI as soon as yuou can.....a lot will depend on weather or not your doc lets you go back to work and the disability rating he gives you

[lfoster21]

As far as school goes, I know that my daughter's tuition has been 20,000/year and because I am low income, she gets 100% financial aid & student loans. You can get close to 10,000 between the Pell subsadized and unsubsudized grants, and most schools have a decrepincy (sp?) fund for people who still can not affort the rest of their tuition...after the grants. She was able to get an addl. 2,500.00 ea. year. Try talking with one of the registration people and ask if there is any type of fund to help with your need. You will probably have to put it in writing and you will have to explain your hardship reason. She was also able to get the Csap and another state grant, for living in state and for having a good grade point average. I did a search on line using words like VA university grants. Try it with your states name.

I wish you all the best.

[babydol]

Thank you for all your help! I applied for SSDI yesterday and will be dropping off needed paperwork 1st thing Monday morning. I already applied for the Pell and they are give me $800- towards school. Which is better than nothing