Injured Wildland Firefighter now fighting the DOL
Donation protected
I am raising funds to pay for legal expenses to go after the Department of Labor for a ridiculous refusal to accept responsibility for my Federal Workers' Compensation Case. Money is also needed to pay for the medical bills that the DOL is refusing to pay before my credit is ruined and my family is forced into bankruptcy.
In August of 2019 I was working a piece of smoldering timber on a steep hillside with a Hotshot crew on the Corta Fire near Jiggs, Nevada when I developed excruciating chest pains. I was lifted by Forest Service Helicopter off the hillside then I was transferred to a REACH Medical Helicopter and taken to the Hospital in Elko, Nevada. I was treated and released with a diagnosis of chest pain and smoke inhalation. Testing for heart attack was negative.
I was then driven to the University of Utah by a Forest Service Liason for a second opinion. Testing here was also negative for heart attack. They ran further tests and advised me simply to follow up with Cardiology on my own time.
All of the documentation from both hospitals clearly states that my condition was directly related to the work being performed and had nothing to do with any previous medical history.
I was forced to return home, despite being told by both hospitals I was ok for work within two days, and pay for Cardiology consultation and testing out of my own pocket due to lack of medical insurance and coverage from the Department of Labor. I was told I could not return to work with the Forest Service until cleared by Cardiology, so I did what had to be done by borrowing money from family. After $1,000 of testing and evaluation I was fully cleared and my Cardiologist concurred that I merely suffered from Chest pain due to smoke inhalation and had no major cardiac event, nor any reason to be off of work.
My claim was first denied by the DOL in November. They assert that the provided documentation does not support any injury connected to the work being performed and that Chest pain and Smoke exposure are not "valid" diagnoses.
I submitted an appeal with additional evidence provided graciously by the first doctor to treat me at the hospital in Elko, NV. This appeal was officially denied on February 4th. Citing essentially the same reasons and providing no further helpful information.
My story has been featured on the Tim Conway Jr. Show on Southern California's talk radio station KFI and iHeartMedia. The story is available at the link below, they begin discussing my story at 36:57.
KFI Story - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/conway-on-demand-20635767/episode/conwayshow-oops-55454163/?fbclid=IwAR1zJS9vhLWmPIzlW8zNK_--8Fy3pOBwl8eTU3LEuHRguoVPcjxFb5ft6bE
I have contacted my Congressional Representatives, Harris & Feinstein, neither of which has been of much help yet. Harris has so far been the only one to respond and all her office did was parrot back the DOL's reasons for denial. They did not expand or investigate any further, which is frustrating but not unexpected.
I was initially left with around $50,000 in bills, not including the $1,000 I paid out of pocket to get cleared by cardiology. The largest of them, the helicopter to the hospital, has since been paid by the Forest Service directly. I am left with over $10,000 in medical collections that are being pursued aggressively. This is debt owed by the Department of Labor and debt that may very well ruin my family if I am unable to fight the case.
I bring this to you with the following request - help me stand up to the Department of Labor. I want to pursue this case not just for myself, but for every Firefighter they are attempting to steamroll in this fashion. Mine is not the only story of injustice and incompetence on their part. This is simply how the Feds treat their Firefighters and it is flat out wrong. Help me fight them and hopefully we can make some change.
I aim to hire an Attorney recommended to me by a contact at the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. All documentation that I can reasonably release, without fear of exposing sensitive information, will be provided to donors upon request.
There are a large number of nuances to this story, but this is the general rundown thus far.
In August of 2019 I was working a piece of smoldering timber on a steep hillside with a Hotshot crew on the Corta Fire near Jiggs, Nevada when I developed excruciating chest pains. I was lifted by Forest Service Helicopter off the hillside then I was transferred to a REACH Medical Helicopter and taken to the Hospital in Elko, Nevada. I was treated and released with a diagnosis of chest pain and smoke inhalation. Testing for heart attack was negative.
I was then driven to the University of Utah by a Forest Service Liason for a second opinion. Testing here was also negative for heart attack. They ran further tests and advised me simply to follow up with Cardiology on my own time.
All of the documentation from both hospitals clearly states that my condition was directly related to the work being performed and had nothing to do with any previous medical history.
I was forced to return home, despite being told by both hospitals I was ok for work within two days, and pay for Cardiology consultation and testing out of my own pocket due to lack of medical insurance and coverage from the Department of Labor. I was told I could not return to work with the Forest Service until cleared by Cardiology, so I did what had to be done by borrowing money from family. After $1,000 of testing and evaluation I was fully cleared and my Cardiologist concurred that I merely suffered from Chest pain due to smoke inhalation and had no major cardiac event, nor any reason to be off of work.
My claim was first denied by the DOL in November. They assert that the provided documentation does not support any injury connected to the work being performed and that Chest pain and Smoke exposure are not "valid" diagnoses.
I submitted an appeal with additional evidence provided graciously by the first doctor to treat me at the hospital in Elko, NV. This appeal was officially denied on February 4th. Citing essentially the same reasons and providing no further helpful information.
My story has been featured on the Tim Conway Jr. Show on Southern California's talk radio station KFI and iHeartMedia. The story is available at the link below, they begin discussing my story at 36:57.
KFI Story - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/conway-on-demand-20635767/episode/conwayshow-oops-55454163/?fbclid=IwAR1zJS9vhLWmPIzlW8zNK_--8Fy3pOBwl8eTU3LEuHRguoVPcjxFb5ft6bE
I have contacted my Congressional Representatives, Harris & Feinstein, neither of which has been of much help yet. Harris has so far been the only one to respond and all her office did was parrot back the DOL's reasons for denial. They did not expand or investigate any further, which is frustrating but not unexpected.
I was initially left with around $50,000 in bills, not including the $1,000 I paid out of pocket to get cleared by cardiology. The largest of them, the helicopter to the hospital, has since been paid by the Forest Service directly. I am left with over $10,000 in medical collections that are being pursued aggressively. This is debt owed by the Department of Labor and debt that may very well ruin my family if I am unable to fight the case.
I bring this to you with the following request - help me stand up to the Department of Labor. I want to pursue this case not just for myself, but for every Firefighter they are attempting to steamroll in this fashion. Mine is not the only story of injustice and incompetence on their part. This is simply how the Feds treat their Firefighters and it is flat out wrong. Help me fight them and hopefully we can make some change.
I aim to hire an Attorney recommended to me by a contact at the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. All documentation that I can reasonably release, without fear of exposing sensitive information, will be provided to donors upon request.
There are a large number of nuances to this story, but this is the general rundown thus far.
Organizer
Eric Leavitt
Organizer
Wildomar, CA