The News You Need for Feb. 16
Wrapping up emotions, benefits for an officer, and timelines in Nevada.
Navigating Immediate Emotional Responses to Injury?
As we wrap up this first segment of the series, focused on immediate emotional responses to injury, it’s clear that these emotions—fear, shock, confusion, surprise, vulnerability, overwhelm, stress, worry, anxiety, and dread—form the foundation of the recovery journey. These responses, though challenging, are natural reactions to the sudden and often life-altering experience of injury. By understanding their origins and learning how to navigate them, individuals can foster resilience and begin to reclaim a sense of control in the face of uncertainty.?
Reflecting on Immediate Responses?
Each emotion explored in this segment uniquely affects the immediate aftermath of an injury.??
Fear arises from uncertainty and potential danger, serving as a protective mechanism that heightens awareness and prompts caution. While it can be overwhelming, fear motivates individuals to seek safety and solutions.?
Shock. Shock numbs the senses, acting as a temporary buffer against the emotional and physical impact of injury. This initial detachment allows the mind to process the event gradually, though it can also create confusion and disorientation.?
Confusion. Confusion often clouds the mind as it struggles to make sense of the unexpected. This emotion highlights the need for clarity and guidance, emphasizing the importance of supportive communication during recovery.?
Surprise. Surprise disrupts expectations, bringing a mix of emotions depending on the context. Whether positive or disorienting, it shifts focus and requires individuals to adapt quickly to new realities.?
Vulnerability. Vulnerability surfaces as individuals confront their limitations and seek help. While uncomfortable, it opens pathways for connection and support, fostering emotional growth.?
Overwhelm. Overwhelm signals that the moment's demands exceed one's perceived capacity to cope. By breaking tasks into manageable steps, individuals can reduce the mental and emotional load of recovery.?
Stress. Stress reflects the tension of balancing recovery with other responsibilities. It highlights the importance of prioritization and self-care, ensuring individuals have the resources to heal.?
Worry. Worry focuses on potential challenges or adverse outcomes, often draining mental energy. Managing worry requires grounding techniques and a focus on what can be controlled.?
Anxiety. Anxiety amplifies apprehension, creating a persistent sense of unease. Strategies like mindfulness and professional support can help individuals regain emotional balance.?
Dread. Dread weighs heavily, often stemming from a sense of inevitability about adverse outcomes. Addressing dread involves reframing thoughts and focusing on progress, even in small increments.?
Recognizing and addressing these emotions creates a foundation for a more resilient and hopeful recovery. An emotional whirlwind often marks the moments following an injury. Fear heightens our awareness of potential danger, while shock numbs the senses, providing temporary protection against overwhelming stimuli. Confusion clouds judgment as the mind struggles to understand what has occurred, and surprise disrupts expectations, shifting our mental framework. Vulnerability opens the door to connection and support, even as it challenges emotional safety. Overwhelm highlights the limits of our coping capacity. At the same time, stress, worry, anxiety, and dread reflect the complex interplay of anticipation and apprehension about what lies ahead.?
Though their expressions vary, these emotions all share a common purpose: They are signals from the mind and body urging attention and action. Recognizing and addressing these emotions is the first step toward creating a supportive and proactive recovery environment.?
Key Takeaways from Segment One?
Emotions Are Messengers. Each emotion serves a purpose, providing valuable information about the injured individual's needs. Listening to these messages fosters self-awareness and guides appropriate action.?
Understanding Eases Burden. Knowing these emotions' physiological and psychological roots can reduce feelings of isolation and help normalize the recovery experience.?
Support is Essential. Family, friends, colleagues, and caregivers are critical in helping individuals navigate these immediate emotional responses. Empathy and understanding can make all the difference.?
Action Empowers Recovery. Strategies for managing emotions, such as mindfulness, breaking down goals, and seeking reassurance, empower individuals to face recovery challenges confidently.?
An Invitation to Reflect?
This segment has provided an in-depth exploration of the immediate emotional responses to injury. Take a moment to reflect on how these insights resonate with your experiences or those of individuals you support. Consider the tools and strategies that help ease fear, foster clarity, or bring light to overwhelming moments.?
To those navigating recovery, remember that these intense emotions are temporary and manageable. They are reminders of your strength and capacity to adapt. To caregivers and supporters, your role in validating and easing these emotions is invaluable. Your patience and compassion create the foundation for resilience and healing.?
Looking Ahead to the Journey?
This segment is just the beginning of our exploration of the emotional dimensions of recovery. The immediate responses to injury set the stage for what lies ahead, shaping how individuals approach their physical and emotional healing. Future segments will delve into other phases of the recovery journey, providing deeper insights and practical guidance for navigating each step.?
Let this first segment in the ten-segment sequence serve as a guide and a reminder: Immediate emotional responses to injury are pathways to better understanding the human experience. As we continue to advance in technology, efficiency and productivity in the workers’ compensation space, these human connection points become more and more critical. The art of being human is imperative. When awareness in emotion is recognized, individuals can move forward with strength, clarity, and hope by honoring and addressing these emotions. By shining a light on the emotional landscape of recovery, we create a space where everyone feels seen, heard, and supported. That is the type of workers' compensation landscape I am here to support, educate, and encourage. Join me!?
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Family of Police Officer Killed on Duty Wins WC Case after 2-year Fight
Raleigh, NC (WorkersCompensation.com) – The family of a Raleigh, N.C., police officer killed in a mass shooting was awarded workers’ compensation benefits recently after a two-year battle with the city.
Raleigh police officer Gabriel Torres was one of five people killed in an Oct. 13, 2022, shooting in the Hedingham neighborhood. Torres, a former U.S. Marine, had worked for the Raleigh Police Department for a year and a half before the incident.
The incident unfolded in the late afternoon as people were gathering in the neighborhood like any other Thursday night. A 15-year-old boy, Austin Thompson, began shooting in the streets then fled toward the Neuse River Greenway, a popular walking and biking trail behind the houses, where he again opened fire. The shooting left five dead, and two injured. The shooter was captured hours after the incident, hiding in a building near the trail. The teen was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police said Torres, 29, was on his way to work when the shooting began. When his wife, Jasmin, filed a workers’ compensation claim with the city, it was denied in early 2023.
Earlier this month, the N.C. Industrial Commission ruled in the family’s favor.
“Officer Torres was not acting solely on behalf of a private entity and was not engaged in some frolic or private business of his own,” the commission said in its ruling. “Instead, at the time he was shot, Officer Torres was responding to the sound of active gunfire, an apparent violation of the law ...”
At issue was whether Torres was on duty at the time. Torres was not wearing his uniform, and city officials argued he was on his way to work instead of being actively working for the city. Additionally, the city argued that Torres was waiting for his wife and daughter to come home.
But attorneys for Jasmin Torres argued that Torres was on duty and responding to the shooting when he was struck by one of the bullets fired by Thompson.
Jasmin Torres testified she and her daughter were on their way home, and that she had called Gabriel Torres to ask if he could wait for them to get home before he left for work. Officer Torres told his wife he was already out the door. The call was then interrupted by gunshots.
“Officer Torres told Ms. Torres to be careful, that he loved her, and that he was going to ‘check it out,’” the commission said in its ruling.
Jasmin Torres later found her husband in his vehicle which was “parked in an odd and unusual manner, partially blocking the driveway” of one of his neighbors, she testified. Officials said the angle of the car would have given him a view of the neighborhood where the shots were coming from.
“By parking his vehicle in such an unusual way, Officer Torres was not waiting for his wife and daughter to return home but was acting in response to an apparent violation of the law — i.e. the sound of active gunfire within the Hedingham Community,” the commission ruled.
The commission ruled that the city must pay Jasmin Torres $321.48 per week for 500 weeks, or $160,740. Additionally, the city must pay an additional $321.48 per week to the couple’s daughter until she turns 18. The order was backdated to Oct. 13, 2022, and the money accrued from that date will be paid in a lump sum. The city will also reimburse the family for funeral expenses up to $10,000.
The industrial commission had previously ruled that the Torres family should receive $200,000 in death benefits because officer Torres was killed in the line of duty, and was murdered in the line of duty, a change in state law since the lawsuit was filed.
The suspect in the case, Austin Thomas, was charged with five counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. His trial has been delayed until 2026.
In October of 2022, there were a number of shootings nationwide, many that ended in police fatalities. That same week, two police officers were killed in Connecticut after being drawn into an ambush. Also in that same week, one police officer was killed in a shooting in Greenville, Miss., and another in Las Vegas, Nev., Police were injured in shootings in Decatur, Ill., Philadelphia, Pa., and Davenport, Fla.
Nevada Claims-Processing Timelines
What timelines apply for claims in Nevada? As Simply Research subscribers know, the following rules apply.
C-1 Form Notice of Injury or Occupational Disease - Incident Report NRS 616C.015 Employee should complete within 7 days after the accident; must be maintained by employer for 3 years; employer required to keep adequate supply of blank forms for employee use. Insurer/TPA should supply forms to employer.
C-3 Form Employer's Report of Industrial Injury or Occupational Disease NRS 616C.045 Employer must complete and file with the insurer within 6 working days after receiving a copy of the C-4 Form. Insurer/TPA should supply forms to employer. Maximum fine of $1,000 per occurrence.
C-4 Form Employee's Claim for Compensation/Report of Initial Treatment NRS 616C.040 Physician or chiropractor must complete and file with employer and employer’s insurer within 3 working days of treatment. Maximum fine of $1,000 per occurrence.
Claim Determination NRS 616C.065 NRS 616D.120-150 Insurers have 30 days after accident notification (or 30 working days after claim receipt for occupational disease): + Accept the claim & notify claimant or claimant’s rep of acceptance + Begin payment on the claim + Or deny the claim and notify claimant or claimant’s rep and DIR of denial + Insurer’s notification must be documented with a certificate of mailing. Three (3) times penalty with $3,000 maximum fine.
D-8 Form Employer's Wage Verification Form NRS 616C.045 & NRS 616A.480 Employer must complete and file with the insurer within 6 working days of receipt of the C-4 (if the C-4 indicates the injured employee will be off work for 5 consecutive days or more or 5 days in a 20 day period) or when requested by the insurer. Insurer/TPA should supply forms. Maximum fine of $1,000.00 per occurrence.
D-35 Form Request for Random Physician or Chiropractor NRS 616C.490 & NAC 616C.103 Within 30 days of receiving stable & ratable reporting, insurer must schedule an appointment with a rating physician/chiropractor on the random list.
Medical Billing NRS 616C.136 & NV Medical Fee Schedule Billing must be submitted within 90 days after the date of service (if good cause, up to 12 months). Insurer has 45 days to approve or deny.
Blank Forms NRS 616A.480 Employer must fully complete any blank form received by the insurer or the administrator and return to appropriate party within 6 working days. Maximum fine of $1,000 per occurrence
Filing a claim for compensation NRS 616C.020 An injured employee shall file a claim for compensation with the insurer within 90 days after an accident if: (a)The employee has sought medical treatment for an injury arising out of and in the course of his employment; or (b)The employee was off work as a result of an injury arising out of and in the course of his employment. In the event of the death of the injured employee resulting from the injury, a dependent of the employee, or a person acting on his behalf, shall file a claim for comp