[Lew Silverman]

First of all, without question, thank you for your service and dedication. The people you serve should be proud to have you protecting them!

That said - why the (expletive deleted) are you tying to go through this by YOURSELF? Shouldn't someone at your department be working FOR YOU to see that you are properly cared for? This was a Line of Duty (LOD) injury, so there must be someone at your city/county/state whose ONLY job is working LOD and insurance claims, so why are YOU, the injured party, having to jump through flaming (expletive deleted) hoops to have your injuries seen to properly? Why wasn't someone from your Union or the FOP on the telephone immediately asking "What can WE do for YOU"? In most departments and municipal governments LOD injuries are taken VERY SERIOUSLY, as they effect the insurance premiums they pay (tax money!) and these are just the kind of incidents that are tracked at the State/Federal level (the higher the payouts the more scrutiny the department receives).

Hopefully the doctors you see on the 11th will know how to properly read an MRI and can give you an accurate prognosis.

Shouldn't you now be on some form of Sick or Administrative Leave? Unless you are losing "hours" because of your injuries, you shouldn't be receiving "workman's compensation". That normally only happens when all other forms of compensation have been exhausted. Many folks purchase supplemental insurance (think the AFLAC duck!) to make-up for lost income during an extended period away from work.

Hope you get things worked out soon!