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Pain management and rehab only mask the symptoms. They don’t solve it.
As a surveillance officer for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, John D. was known to go above and beyond. He came to GGRM with his case soon after being seriously injured doing what he does best, helping a local citizen in distress.
“I knew this was different as soon as I hit the ground. Everyone thinks it can’t happen to them, but this is a dangerous job. I’m glad I took GGRM’s advice, or I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
He damaged his L2, L3, and L4 vertebrae while helping a woman retrieve her stolen vehicle. The owner had arrived as the tow truck driver was struggling to get the inoperable car on the bed. In frustration, the tow truck driver was about to leave the car in the dark desert lot.
“I couldn’t do that to a citizen,” John said. “They just got their stolen car back. I wasn’t going home without making it right.”
John pushed the car onto the tow truck ramp. It rolled back from a steep pitch and the blow knocked him back with unexpected force.
“It was just, wow, I knew something was very wrong.”
With the car finally on the bed, John slid painfully into his truck and drove home to pack for a weekend getaway to the family cabin in Utah.
“I got home, got out of the truck, and fell flat on my face,” John said. “I knew right then it was going to be some time until I was good again. The trip was off, and I was going to have to do light-duty. Just like that, my life changed.”
He had purchased an umbrella insurance policy. The policy was specifically to cover his medical expenses if anything serious happened on the job, something many first responders don’t realize they need.
“It’s not just about your case; it’s about your life,” John said. “It’s a dangerous job. We get hurt a lot. You don’t think it’s going to end your career. I’m so glad I took GGRM’s advice.”
After this last injury forced him into early retirement, he went to cash out the umbrella policy. The insurance company calmly said no and started proceedings to cancel his policy. The insurance was hung up because it was a motor vehicle accident, and John was technically off duty.
It was nearly two long years of constant communication and moments of small gains. With the GGRM team steadily pushing it along, the case was settled out of court with a mediator in 2016.
That same year, John received the doctor-recommended spinal fusion surgery to relieve the constant pain in his back. He had been through hours of rehab, rounds of ineffective pain medication, and shots for nearly two years.
“It was life-changing,” John, now retired, said. “I got the help that I needed. Pain management and rehab only mask the symptoms. They don’t solve it.”
John now runs a bed and breakfast sandwiched between a creek and the Neuse River in North Carolina. His injuries limit his ability to take the boat out in rough weather or do a lot of the things he did before the accident, but he has moved on without regret with the help of the GGRM team. He still has connections in Las Vegas and helps friends who have been hurt on the job or need his insight.
“GGRM is embedded in the root core values of the Las Vegas community, and people know his integrity and professionalism,” John said. “They’re not one of those fly-by-night guys. We are a team as we go into these things. That is why I stuck with them, and I am not going with anyone else.”
Contact GGRM. We Can Help.
If you’ve been injured on the job and have questions, consult with the experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at GGRM. We have over 50 years of experience helping injured workers. To set up your free consultation, contact us or call us at 702-384-1616 today