A KNIFE IN THE BACK

At a Continuing Legal Education class I attended some time ago, a spine specialist noted he often provided a copy of a New Yorker’s article called “A Knife in the Back” to patients who were interested in a spinal fusion to treat their chronic pain.  The article can be found here.

This article takes a cautionary tone towards fusion to resolve chronic pain issues, as opposed to fusions that are (according to the article) “necessary” such as “when vertebral bones that have been dislocated or damaged by diseases are endangering the spinal cord or the nerves.”

SECURITY GUARD JOBS - WHAT ARE THEY REALLY?

The Department and employers often suggest an injured worker is employable, or can be retrained, as a Security Guard and/or Surveillance-System Monitor (watching video monitors), which they frequently view as a sedentary unskilled job.  However, frequently these jobs are more physically demanding and require more skills than suggested by the Department and employers.

REASONABLE COMMUTE BECOMES NOT SO REASONABLE

From a Workers Compensation perspective, employers may (arguably) return injured workers to light duty at a different job, wage, schedule and location. Any light duty job offer must be within a reasonable commute.

Common sense says a long commute might be reasonable for a high-paying job, but not so reasonable for a minimum wage job. After taxes, $4 a gallon gas and automobile wear and tear, an injured worker may end up losing money. Many injuries limit a worker's ability to drive or sit in a car. Consequently, a worker may frequently need to stop and stretch or lay back in the seat, thereby doubling the commuting time.

THE PERFECT PORK CHOP

Have you ever tried to cook pork chops only to suffer the sad result of a piece of meat that is tasteless and as tough as shoe leather? Well, it is not your fault. Help is on the way.

Prior to the 1950s, most pork chops were marbled with fat, much like beef steaks. That was because the pigs were mostly raised for their lard. With the introduction of oleomargarine and other vegetable oil products, farmers started breeding more lean pork meat. The pork industry successfully rehabilitated the reputation of pork, marketing it as “The Other White Meat.” The result, although healthier, created problems for the cook.