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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 511
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RE: Scholarship Info?
You may be eligible for "retraining dollars" through your state's workman's comp funds. Before you allow them to retire you, find out what your rights are under WC laws. Also, contact your police union. They may be able to assist you in some manner.
I know in California if you work for some agencies, there are WC attorney's who will assist you with your WC case, you may want to retain one. The amount you were once able to get for retraining in California, was 16,000. But, the Governator modified some of the rules and the amount is now 10,000, minus a percentage taken by your lawyer for processing the settlement through the courts. Out here you can use the money on whatever education you want that will help you get back on your feet.
The attorney will also help you get a fair medical disability retirement check based on years of service and degree of your inability to do your job. Also, get other opinions from doctors on your injuries and the degree of disability you sustained on the job, never accept one opinion as being fact.
Have you filed a WC claim yet? If not, you want to 911. If you research this scholarships for injured officers, you won't find much. Usually, scholarships are geared towards surviving children of an officer. You may also want to apply to the schools you are or want to attend for your post-baccalaureate degree, they will have scholarships available too. Check out grants too, these don't have to be paid back either.
I have a retired deputy friend who went through this mess, and it can be a mess if you don't know what you are up against. He had to retire from the department because of repetitve stress injuries he sustained. He had to have multiple surgeries to his elbows, and needless to say, you can't wrestle with inmates can you?
A very sad commentary on law enforcement agencies in this day and age, these use you up, and kick you to the curb with little or no resources available to you. You are nothing more than a badge number and a warm body filling a slot. More should be done to protect officers who are forced out of the job because of on duty injuries. Hope this helps! Last edited @ 5/27/2008 4:57 PM
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