'Miracle' tornado survivor denied workers' comp

[The Straight Story]

'Miracle' tornado survivor denied workers' comp

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — By all accounts, Mark Lindquist is a hero, an underpaid social worker who nearly gave his life trying to save three developmentally disabled adults from the Joplin tornado. Both houses of the Missouri legislature honored Lindquist, the Senate resolution calling him "a true hero and inspiration to others."

But heroism doesn't pay the bills. The tornado's 200 mph winds tossed Lindquist nearly a block, broke every rib, obliterated his shoulder, knocked out most of his teeth and put him in a coma for about two months.

Lindquist, 51, ran up medical expenses that exceed $2.5 million, and the bills keep coming. He requires 11 daily prescriptions and will need more surgery.

But he has no medical insurance. Lindquist couldn't afford it on a job paying barely above minimum wage. He assumed workers' compensation would cover his bills, but his claim was denied "based on the fact that there was no greater risk than the general public at the time you were involved in the Joplin tornado," according to a letter to Lindquist from Accident Fund Insurance Company of America, his company's workers' comp provider.

That reasoning has angered Lindquist's family, employer, even lawmakers.

http://tinyurl.com/3j855ng

[gratuitous]

1. Well, duh

Those insurance companies don't stay in business, writing fat bonus checks to their executives, by paying claims. They make their money by collecting premiums. And because Accident Fund Insurance Company would treat a billionaire's claim the same way, it's not class warfare, so stop saying that.

[midnight]

2. K&R

[Selatius]

3. Even if he had health insurance, his final medical bill would still be the size of a mortgage.

If we assume his health insurance provider paid on an 80/20 co-pay formula with no deductible (not likely for all but the wealthiest Americans), his bill would still be well north of 400,000.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. Multple prior similar posts

[The Straight Story]

5. If by multiple you mean one here and one in BN....ok

I just don't have a lot of time each day to keep up with all of the posts....

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. That indeed constitute multiple

and search can help in the future