Ban ivory sales
I just read a Washington Post article that stated Hawaii is the third largest, behind New York and California, importer of illegal ivory. But we are about to assume first place because the other states have recently passed laws to ban ivory sales.
Fortunately, according to the article, Hawaii awaits the governor’s signing of a similar bill banning ivory sales as well as “artifacts from a wide array of species.”
Even though the US already has a federal law banning ivory from endangered species, a recent survey in Hawaii found that “more than 4,600 items worth more than $1.2 million were found.” And, “The overwhelming majority of the products were advertised as elephant ivory.” I suppose this law breaking may be another example of lax enforcement.
Anyone out there disagree with Hawaii’s new law before the governor?
Edward McShane
Naalehu
Workers’ comp horror story
Did you ever have to deal with workman’s compensation? Well, I did and my experience was not a good one. I worked for a great company here for 15 years. One night, I was stepping off a ladder, stepped on a loose rock and rolled.
I reported the incident to my boss because there was a lot of pain and swelling immediately. They sent me to the their workman’s comp doctor, who looked at my ankle and told me it was a bad sprain and I also had a strain in my opposite knee.
I took a few weeks off and then returned to work after being told, “It will just take some time to heal” and there was little they could do. Six months later, my ankle was worse and so was my knee. When I called the doctor, I found out my case was closed. In order to open it, I had to go to an independent medical examiner (chosen by the insurance company) at my own expense.
As you would expect, the visit didn’t go my way and he said my swelling was not due to the injury but other medical issues (which I did not have any medical issues confirmed by my family doctor). I then appealed to the Labor Relation Board as my condition worsened. Months later, they informed me that my case would remain closed.
I assumed it would not go my way, especially when the director of LRB asked me this question, “Mr. Althouse, what do you want to get out of this?” It did not take me 60 days from that question to figure out that the director thought I was faking. Case still closed.
Now that I had been dropped from the system, I went to a real doctor who immediately sent me for a CT scan, and guess what? I worked on a broken ankle and agitated knee for over two years! I had surgery on my ankle and a total knee replacement and even then the workers’ comp insurance did not believe me. They again sent me to another IME to deny my claim. I had to obtain a lawyer at my expense in order to get compensation, which was due from the beginning.
If only they had done, in good faith, what I asked in the beginning, a simple CT or MRI, all of this would have been avoided. I guess it doesn’t pay to be honest. I’d suggest to avoid comp doctors, if possible, and get needed treatment right away. Five years later, I still have not received settlement (they’re still in denial).
Robert Althouse
Waikoloa
