Injured father needs assistance

July 23, 2006, I was injured at my work putting a clutch in a heavy duty truck, damaging my shoulder.

I reported it to my boss, went to Peel Memorial Hospital, had x-rays, and the doctor put me on light duties.

I remained at the company until October 12, 2006, when I was fired by the employer.

Since I was not able to do my complete job, I was doing light duties, going around in a pickup truck making sales calls, getting new customers, picking up parts, doing water deliveries and other odd jobs where I did not have to use my left arm from the date of the accident.

I contacted Workers Compensation and they had no idea what I was talking about. I explained to them what had happened, and they still had no knowledge of my accident and refused to help me.

So, I went out and I found a job, driving a dump truck. I was fired after a couple of weeks, because the employer could see that I didn't have two capable arms to do the job that was required.

January 12, I applied for unemployment insurance, and they refused to help me in any way shape or form because I was fired from my last job.

I am 46 years old, and I've been on unemployment at one time when I was 20 years old. I've been working all my life, paying into the system all my life, and now that I needed help, UI wouldn't look at me, so I had to go to Welfare.

Welfare gave me a harder time than unemployment, and didn't want to offer any help either. I am a single father raising a teenage daughter on my own, and I have rent to pay, hydro, phone, gas bills, automobile to run. Welfare gives me $700 a month.

All Welfare wanted form me was to sign papers so they could get their money back, on any income I would receive. After a couple of months, I did receive compassionate sickness benefits from unemployment, in which Welfare took more than half. They only gave me 15 weeks.

I had an ultrasound and x-rays on my shoulder, revealing five tears and damage to my rotator cuff. The reason Workers Compensation knew nothing of this was the employer did not report the accident. In February, Peel Memorial Hospital sent a report to Compensation - 8 months after the accident.

Now, compensation still wants nothing to do with me. I obtained legal aid to hire a lawyer, but no lawyer in Brampton or the GTA wants to accept legal aid to fight compensation.

I had to wait eight months for an MRI, which I finally got June 17 and my doctor referred me to a specialist. I called the specialist to make the appointment, the specialist told me that they could not make take me until after Oct. 15.

So, here I am, with a busted shoulder, living off of $700 a month. I am behind in all my bills, I owe everybody money. I am owed money from back wages.

I did receive a letter from the Honorable Steve Peters, who confirmed they were backlogged. Now, we're into the tenth month, going into the 11th month, and still nothing from Peters, or anyone else.

So, here we are, still struggling and the Welfare people are very very difficult to deal with. You're not allowed to speak until spoken to, and you're not allowed to tell them what's on your mind, or else they'll have you removed from the office.

So, here we are, still broke, about to be evicted, no place to go, and not able to move furniture myself.

Is there someone out there who can help me and my daughter?

Edward Costello

Caledon