I love talking to people and helping them. I’m pretty blunt so that doesn’t always click with everyone I talk to, but most people appreciate honest and direct talk. And those people are the best part of my job because if you ever get frustrated, it’s salt of the earth, good people that help me remember that I started doing this to help those people. Most of our callers are honest, have good claims and really just want to get back to work. We don’t get involved with the dishonest or frivolous cases. Our state wide network has been able to help a lot of people.
There’s really not about my job that I don’t like. I talk to some crazies, both clients and lawyers, but that never really bothers me. If you take things personally you won’t last long.
What does bother me and is really the worst part about this job is hearing the inside scoop on businesses that I actually like. Ignorance is bliss, but learning about your injuries also requires me to learn about your companies. Many of you work for great employers. Some, not so much.
Just recently a young lady came to me hoping to help a co-worker who badly broke her ankle at work at a restaurant. She hurt herself running from the chef who apparently is a maniac. But the food there is outstanding. I’ll never go there again though because my thoughts will always be on the caller.
Other times you hear stories that make you never want to even consider a place. I’ve never been a Walmart shopper and I never will be because of callers to my office. Their bad treatment of their employees is somewhat well known. It’s certainly reinforced by the number of calls we get from their injured workers who have nightmare experiences with the company. I’m always thrilled when we bring a case against them.
I will never forget a phone call I had with a woman that worked at Gibson’s, the legendary steakhouse in Chicago. I’m not too lavish in my spending, but every year go there for my birthday with my best friend. We’ve gone 13 years in a row. But once I got a call from someone that was injured while working there. I was bracing myself for the worst that they would tell me the employees are treated awful or the kitchen is disgusting. I was thinking about how I’d tell my friend that we have to find a new place where we can celebrate. Thankfully the worker told me that it’s a great place to work and the kitchen is spotless. Makes sense as we see the same employees there year after year.
I could give other examples and if this is the “worst” part of my job, I’m pretty lucky. But I will say that every time I get a call from a school teacher or a pipe fitter or anyone not working at a store or restaurant I frequent, it makes me a bit relieved.
