Question:
I know what the gospels say about turning the other cheek and all that but I still have a question about it. I have found that even the alledged "scholars" have differences of opinions on this.
Is it all right to go to court to obtain relief from a company who was supposed to provide a service and instead, screwed me out of it?
Specifically, I am talking about workmans comp.
The insurance company was paid a fortune over the last few years to insure me against the loss of income and to cover the medical costs in the event I was hurt on the job. After a very short period of time, they screwed me out of my benifits and will not cover my medical costs that are mounting up by the day. They have robbed me of any way to be able to earn a living at this point and even took away the job I loved the most, driving. (I can explain in more detail if anyone wants to hear the whole long story, many of you allready know at least some of it.)
It has gotton to the point that I cannot pay my bills at all now. I have borrowed from as many people as I can and even recieved a few gifts from a couple people but am now running out of resourses. I am truly living by the grace of God.
I do have a lawyer, (it took a while to get one as I do not go running to lawyers every time something bad happens to me.) I have a court date before the Industrial Accedent Commision 6 DEC 01.
The question arises because a person at church, after hearing I was going to court, told me it was wrong to sue anyone for any reason. She brought up all the quotes from the Gospels to back up her argument. This, as you might imagine, started a big discussion.
I am going to court. I feel I have no other alternative.
I just thought I would toss this out for discussion here to see what other's opinion might be.

Answer:

There is only a proscription against going to court against believers. Our disagreements with them should be handled by church leadership. As far as going to court against a corporation I see nothing against it. It is not a saved entity. Secondly even with believers if they have wronged you and they don't repent then you are to treat them like tax collectors and heathens. So again take them to court like an unbeliever.
1 Corinthians 6:1-8
1 When you have something against another Christian, why do you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter, instead of taking it to other Christians to decide who is right? 2 Don't you know that someday we Christians are going to judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can't you decide these little things among yourselves? 3 Don't you realize that we Christians will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disagreements here on earth. 4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why do you go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 5 I am saying this to shame you. Isn't there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these arguments? 6 But instead, one Christian F30 sues another – right in front of unbelievers! 7 To have such lawsuits at all is a real defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 But instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your own Christian brothers and sisters. F31
Matthew 18:15 "If another believer F93 sins against you, go privately and point out the fault. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If that person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. If the church decides you are right, but the other person won't accept it, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
I hope this helped
Better to keep your mouth closed and have people wonder if you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

Answer:

To give you a "lay person's" opinion for practicality, I had worked in the Insurance Industry for almost 13 years.... mostly in the Personal Lines part of it. I did have some Commercial Lines exposure which also incorporated Worker's comp.
This company is wrong in the handling of your case... pure and simple.
There was ANOTHER driver who was on these forum's that died this year. He had an 'on job' accident and was screwed out of HIS benefits AND the State disability also. His case was in the hands of a lawyer and this went on for the three years that "I" knew him. His case was STILL unsettled at the time of his death.
It was ALWAYS "something else" that the company would come up with to negate the claim.
Made ME just as mad as it did him.. I will tell ya!!
I certainly have no love of Insurance companies... you have to FIGHT for each and every little thing that is REALLY due you... no matter WHAT that 'thing' is. It is beyond frustrating.
I will join with everyone else in telling you to "leave it in God's capable hands"... That doesn't pay the bills I know you have, but for some reason.. I feel that you WILL be taken care of.
Kat
Going on a journey in life...
*~ Official Keeper of the Here Birthday List~*

Answer:

Just remember that the greatest Christian who has ever lived, The Apostle Paul, took advantage of every legal resource at his disposal. In Acts chap. 25 when Paul stood before Festus, Paul said, "I appeal to Caesar".
Take every legal avenue that you can possibly take and dont feel guilty about it. God has ordained governments and laws, because without them we would be living in chaos.

Answer:

As I stated above, I AM going to court as I feel I have no other alternative. The insurance company WAS paid for just this event and the minute they had to pay out, they immediatly started to do all they could to cut me off. They have, from what I can see, committed a number of illegal and unethical means to accomplish thier goals.
1. The doctor I was reffered to has a large contract with the same insurance carrier that handled my workmans comp. I was not aware of this when I started to see him. According to comp rules, I cannot change doctors without permission from the insurance carrier. They will not allow it. The doctor is trying to claim that he did not realize this when he started to treat me.
2. The doctor has really done nothing. He did prescribe drugs and ordered an MRI. The MRI showed three compressed vertibre and two distended discs in my lower back and some compression in my neck. His answer? It is something I will have to learn to live with. He also claims that with the condition of my back I should not be allowed to drive a car and he has pulled my DOT medical certification thus invalidating my CDL. He also says I should have returned to work.
3. After giving me my notice to return to work, (I was never examined by him or any other doctor before being released to work,) he refused to treat me further. Since I could not see another doctor for this matter, (My lawyer looked into the laws and could not find any way around it without going to court to get permission to change,) we were forced to get a court order to force him to treat me. (This was obtained by seeing a judge in chambers.) When I went into the doctors office, he blew me off to a nuerologist. The nuerologist was shocked that the original doctor had released me to work and started me on a program he hopes will avert surgery on my back.
4. The nuerologist's treatment had to be put on hold indefinatly when I developed a large kidney stone and had to go in for surgery for that. The urologist did a chemical test to confirm the stone was directly caused by long term use of the drug combonation the original doctor had me on.
5. The insurance carrier and the doctor had conspired to kick me off comp. Among the evedence to support this is the fact that 20 minutes after I was given the work release, I returned home only to find my last comp check in the mail. I also have paperwork from the insurance carrier stating that it takes 7-10 working days to process a payment. There is no way they could have heard from the doctor that I was released to work, processed the check, mailed it and had it in my mail box in twenty minutes! According to the rules, I must be given a final examination by my doctor before I am released to work. I was never given the exam. In fact, I walked into the office only to have a nurse retrieve the work release from my file and then sent on my way home. The release was dated the day before my appointment.
6. I called my company the day I was released to return and was fired.
There is so much more but I have gone on long enough. I am sure you can see from the items I have listed that I was screwed.
I was also offered two different jobs, one extremely good on as well. Unless I can get things taken care of quickly, I will lose all chance of getting one of them.
I had a deposition last week by the insurance company lawyer. The last thing he asked me was what do I want from them? I told him I wanted my life back. I wanted my back returned to the condition it was in before the accident. I wanted my car back. I wanted my oppertunities back that I lost as a result of the accident. My lawyer told me it was a good responce as most of her clients ask for between 1 and 10 million dollars. The insurance company knows right then and there what kind of people they are dealing with. I only told them what I really wanted. I was not briefed on the questions before hand. My lawyer only told me to answer the questions truthfully.
Thanks for you responce. I do appreciate it and hope I have not bored you too much.

Answer:

think what you said is "boredom" Ramman.. it most certainly is NOT.. by any means.
Given the listing of items above, I would sincerely HOPE that this attorney CAN and WILL try to settle with you ASAP... Money is nice..BUT, as you say, to get your LIFE back as before is paramont.
Good Luck to you my friend.
Kat
Going on a journey in life...
*~ Official Keeper of the Here Birthday List~*

Answer:

Somehow, I don't think "turning the other cheek" applies here. I think your decision to go court is a correct one. After all you are just trying to fight for what's rightfully yours.
When I was going through my divorce, I promised God that I would never lie on the stand. And I asked Him to do what was best for my kids. Yep, you guessed it, God answered my prayer. Of course, He took a little longer that I wanted..lol..but I became a stronger person for it.
My only advice is that you always pray before you go to court. Ask God to give you the right words, and to help you see any traps that the other attorneys might try to set for you. Hey, with God on your side, how can you lose?
Best of luck
Sharon
The President has told us to pray, the senators have told us to pray, the governors have told us to pray.....can we NOW have prayer in schools??

Answer:

Ramman,
You need to ask this person in your church. If she or he are so good and live by letting God do their biding.
Why is it they work for a living? And why they go to the store for their daily bread! Also, you might ask them how long they would work for someone or some company if they didn't get paid?
Sometimes the Super Saints forget we live on a sin cursed earth. It's easy to be Spiritual when your bills or paid and theres food on the table!
Bad things DO happen to good people. And good things DO happen bad people. It rains on the just and the unjust!

Answer:

I have to go to Tucson on Monday to see the insurance companies doctor. My father gave me the money for the gas so I can make the trip. If I do not show up, the insurance company wins. I tried to get the appointment postponed until Wednesday so I would not have to borrow any money but was informed I could not postpone it.
I also had to inform then I have to go back into the hospital on the 28th for more surgery. I do not know what they will have to say to that but the law requires me to get thier permission before any surgery. I do not know why they must give me permission as they say they are not responsible and will not pay but the law says I must. In a way, I kinda hope they give me some sort of nasty letter like the last one they sent. I'm getting the surgery anyway but the more they offer in the way of non-cooperation the better for me!
Court is 6 DEC 01 at 1o pm AZ time. Unless the insurance company tries to delay, I will be there. Funny thing on that though. The insurance co can delay all they want but I cannot. Seems like the insurance company has all the rights and I have none. I also have the truth on my side, of course the truth usually has nothing to do with what happens in court!