THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 19, 1994 TAG: 9409170004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
You reported that a railroad employee received $1.5 million for one broken leg and another received $1.8 million for a hearing loss on the job (news, Sept. 3).
I was injured very badly - two broken legs while working for a private company. One leg is 60 percent diabled; the other leg is 70 percent disabled. I injured my back, left arm and left shoulder. I use a wheelchair most of the time. For this, I get $70 a week worker's compensation. If I live to be 150 years old, I will get only $70 a week.
I had my hearing damaged during the Korean War. I am almost 60 percent deaf. I am rated 0 percent service-connected disability by the Veterans Administration, from which I receive nothing.
From this, you can see how a person who is injured working for a private company is treated; also, you can see how a disabled veteran is treated. I would have been a lot better off if I had worked for the railroad and been a draft dodger.
L.R. PIERCE
Norfolk, Sept. 8, 1994 by CNB