Excalibur
This week, we can explore a few related topics. Think back to the collision and the weeks and months right after it. Think about the help you did – or DID NOT – get… and where you got it or wanted to get it from.
What was good – and what wasn’t? In a perfect world, what support should be there truckers who may go through this in the future?
When my accident happened the company helped me get home. After that the company said it was up to compensation board to deal with. I was off 7 months. Comp played me when I got back to work. I had no income, a wife and 2 kids (1 and 3 years old at time). I went to welfare and they offered me 2 dollars and said that was all I was entitled to. I went into debt with credit cards to survive and to take care of my family. After I got back to work 6 months later I had to get shoulder surgery due to the accident and was off 6 months more and did not comp check till I went back to work. My accident happened in 1997 and I am still in debt to this day. The only one that was there for me was my wife. I mentally put her through hell and she still stuck with me. I believe that there should be help for Truckers like there is for 1st responders and police. I went to a psychiatrist back in 1998 and that’s when I found out I had PTSD. I hope no other Trucker has to go through what I did. The part that bothers me other than memories of the accident and physical pain is that I was in the bunk and the other driver in the truck crashed the truck. I did nothing wrong and my family and myself have to suffer due to someone else and no help from government or company.
I understand this one 100%. Just out trucking providing for my family, enjoying my day, a nice Friday afternoon on my way to load pipe to head home and someone turned their wheels because life was too much for them and sent our lives careening off a cliff, so to speak. We had ZERO debt aside from a car payment. To this day we are still working to pay off 3 maxed out credit cards, a credit line and are a year behind on taxes with no relief in sight. Our relationship hit rock bottom. I was in a horrible place, she wasn’t in a much better situation being a young mom and several months pregnant with our second. A year later I actually rented my own place and was moving out, I figured they would be better with out me and this truck load of problems I had encountered because of my job, or rather someone else’s actions. She stuck it out and I couldn’t put my things in a box when it came time to hit the road. Open the flood gates. That’s when we sat down and let it all out. 7 hours at our kitchen table. She saved my life and that day saved our marriage.
I am glad u work it out and you stayed together. I wish the people at comp and employers would understand what we have gone through. I hope things get better for you.