Insurance company says policy doesn't cover injuries of woman paralyzed at Jenny's Dexter Market
An insurance carrier for a Webster Township farm market where a woman was paralyzed as she led a hayride last fall says in court documents that the market's insurance policy doesn't cover the woman's injuries.
Western World Insurance Company, based in Franklin Lakes, N.J., filed a complaint Wednesday for declaratory judgment against Burton Hoey, who runs Jenny's Dexter Market, and Mary Armbruster, who was injured there.
Mary Armbruster was paralyzed from the waist down after a hayride accident at Jenny's Dexter Market in September.
It asks the court to declare that Hoey's insurance policy doesn't cover Armbruster’s injuries and that the insurance company isn't responsible for compensating Hoey for any settlement that results from a lawsuit Armbruster recently filed against the market.
The complaint, filed in federal court, includes a copy of Hoey's insurance policy that says it doesn't cover "bodily injury" to any "temporary worker." Armbruster had asked to work at the market on weekends to give hayrides to customers, according to her lawsuit.
Hoey declined to comment Thursday morning, saying he hasn't seen the filing. His attorney, John Bredell, could not be reached for comment.
Armbruster, 23, of Ann Arbor, was paralyzed from the waist down in the Sept. 24 accident at the market on Island Lake Road. She was attempting to get control of two horses on the property when she was thrown from the wagon and run over, suffering a fractured spine. She spent more than two months in the hospital.
Her suit says she is facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in current and future medical bills and continues to suffer mental pain and physical injuries.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
Erik Peterson
Thu, Feb 23, 2012 : 6:34 p.m.
Case seems to be moving forward... <a href="http://washtenawtrialcourt.org/calendar/DES" rel='nofollow'>http://washtenawtrialcourt.org/calendar/DES</a> March 5, 2012 Shedualing Conferance GC-W-12-0000006 NO ARMBRUSTER, MARY vs. LAMBERS, JENNIFER Poor Jen, probably had next to nothing to due with running the market, Burton screws up and she's going to be the one to pay. Hope she has indepent council to help, can't figure for the life of me why the business was not in a LLC.. oh yea, Burton was in charge.
Betty
Mon, Jan 23, 2012 : 3:13 a.m.
I agree with ALL of your posts! ANY worker is supposed to be covered for injuries. What about workers compensation? Even for Temporary / Part time / Seasonal employees. Hopefully the injured worker can get better soon.
TKA2
Sat, Jan 21, 2012 : 3:46 a.m.
A few insurance points: Workers Compensation covers employees injured at work. The policy in question is almost certainly not a work comp policy. It should no more cover this than Hoey's auto or homeowners policy. Many small businesses choose not to buy Work Comp to try and save money, although someone in this string stated Michigan Insurance is the Work Comp carrier at Jenny's so hopefully that coverage will come into play. I also hope that the young lady carried health insurance of her own...or are just the business and insurance companies at fault for not providing proper coverage? This is personal accountability writ large. I believe strongly in true single payer health care. Presently we have many heatlh care systems: health care, work comp, medicare/medicaid, and third party like injuries from auto accidents. The health care laws passed mandating everyone carry health insurance are just a first step. Lastly, everyone who has a worker come by their (glass) house to do a little work, whether it is a neighborhood handyman or painter or whatever...make sure that person has insurance or you are in the same situation as Hoey should they get injured.
julieswhimsies
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:32 p.m.
So. Do you still think corporations (i.e. Big Insurance) are doing such a great job of covering your health needs? Are they there when you need them the most. Are you still frightened of "government run" health care? Still afraid of "single payer insurance"? This is a perfect example of why single payer, government run health care is sorely needed. My Medicare plan would have covered this. What is this young woman to do? Shall we hold continual bake sales for her, for the rest of her life. This is a very sad and tragic story. This girl did not deserve the injury, or deserve the have her insurance company turn their backs on her. For shame. Big insurance is simply extortion in disguise...and not well-disguised at that.
Louhi
Sat, Jan 21, 2012 : 1:23 a.m.
She can file an SSD claim and qualify for Medicare. In the process of this, she can file a claim against Hoey, his Workers Comp if he has it, and hope that what insurance she has will pay for some of her medical costs
julieswhimsies
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 9:04 p.m.
It is about his AND her insurance companies. With Universal Health Care, she would be covered by the Government the moment she was put in the ambulance, no matter who was at fault.
Angry Moderate
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:46 p.m.
The article is not about her health insurance company. It's about her employer's insurance company, which doesn't cover her if she's a temporary worker. If they paid out on claims by people who don't have coverage, they would go out of business.
Leah
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 5:46 p.m.
Sorry to ruffle most of your feathers but some of these slams against Mr. Hoey seem a bit aggressive. You make it seem like he deliberately rigged this wagon so Ms. Armbruster would get injured. There is some inherent risk in driving a heavy cart pulled by two strong and sometimes unpredictable animals. I am sorry this happened to her but accidents do happen, even with the highest in precautionary measures taken. Now if he loses his business because he wasn't wise enough to carry appropriate insurance, well that was a mistake he will have to own, but let's not make it seem like Mr. Hoey is the wolrd's worst person.
julieswhimsies
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:34 p.m.
Agreed. Equine activities are inherently dangerous. That is the law. That sign is posted at most equestrian facilities.
guyfroma2mi
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:52 p.m.
That we allow these insurance scam artists to continue playing these games of semantics and writing gaping loopholes into policies like this proves that they require more regulation and standardization of policy language, not less. Insurance policies are very deliberately written to be confusing and require interpretation by overpriced attorneys that are equally incapable of writing in plain modern English. It seems highly likely that, regardless of whether the owner shopped around for a better rate (who doesn't?) he expected it to cover that which he specifically purchased it to cover. One should not need to have an attorney on staff to translate documents like this; I realize this is not the way the "justice" system works, but I'd like to follow the spirit of what our system is supposed to be about by basing it on whether or not the person selling the coverage led Mr. Hoey to believe it would cover such incidents, not the technicality of the worker's employment status.
Sallyxyz
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 3:36 p.m.
Hoey was running the business and it was his responsibility to understand the coverages (or lack of coverages) in his policies. Armbruster was not covered for injuries sustained on the job by his policies, according to the article, and Hoey should have told her that before hiring her to work on the weekends. Armbruster could have made a decision at that point whether to work there or not. It is a very unfortunate accident and I certainly hope Armbruster can get her insurance paid, even if it means through the lawsuit currently filed against the market.
dexterreader
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 2:40 p.m.
This is a no-win situation for everyone. A woman's life has been changed forever. If the insurance company does not compensate, will the Hoey's have to pay out of pocket or is she just "out of luck" (other than seeking compensation through the legal system)? Since I am not a lawyer, I am not familiar with how these incidents are treated. And I, too, have wondered what happened with the subsequent "robbery" of Mr. Hoey. The timing sure seemed interesting. Was anyone ever arrested? charged? tried? convicted? Was he compensated for HIS monetary loss by his insurance company? Interesting how the story just sort of "disappeared" and we never heard any more about it. Something about that whole incident remains very "fishy". I wish Ms. Armbruster the best in her recovery, and say to the Hoey's .... what goes around, comes around.
dextermom
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 9:12 p.m.
And that he had that much cash on hand!
Angry Moderate
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:47 p.m.
The employer could still be liable for the $$ even if insurance doesn't cover it. But if the employer doesn't have enough money, she could be out of luck there.
applehazar
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:48 p.m.
I little more investigative reporting is needed here. Was she "on the books" meaning did she receive a paycheck as an employe and were payroll taxes properly withheld as required by an employer? That would be required and such her activities should be covered under workers compensation rules. Thie to reach out to Jeffrey F.
grimmk
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 3:15 p.m.
When job searching I found this one guy who didn't do anything on the books. He just cut you a check, tax free, every week. Needless to say I didn't work there.
Forever27
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:02 p.m.
of course insurance doesn't want to pay. that's exactly what they do every single time. but hey, we have the best medical system in the world! imagine, if we had a single payer system, this girl wouldn't have to worry about all this nonsense and could just see the doctors like she needs to. but i guess access to medical care is one of the evils of socialism.
Jim Osborn
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:19 p.m.
I think this potiential lawsuit is also about being compensated for pain and suffering, not just doctor bills.
A2comments
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:01 p.m.
Lots of speculation about what policies the market may have had. No information on what legal entity owned the market, if it was a corporation, LLC, ... which impacts who is liable and what assets might be used in any claim. And no information as to whether Mr. Hoey can or will make good on his promise. Only fact is that this insurance company won't cover it under the policy they had with the market....
Goofus
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:54 a.m.
I think it's just semantics to argue whether the woman was seasonal or temporary or what have you. The gist remains the insurance company probably has alot more resources to devote to NOT paying than Mr. Hoey has resources to try to get them to pay. All of his resources will ultimately go towards either paying this young woman's medical bills, or fighting the insurance company. Either way, Burton Hoey loses. :)
jcj
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 5:09 a.m.
Your probably right, but stranger things have happened. I suspect most would like to see the insurance company lose. If they are in the wrong.
jcj
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:37 a.m.
A little information to clear up some questions. <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/dqualify2.htm" rel='nofollow'>http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/dqualify2.htm</a> <a href="http://www.personalinjurylawjournal.com/workers-compensation/workers-compensation-issues-for-part-time-employees/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.personalinjurylawjournal.com/workers-compensation/workers-compensation-issues-for-part-time-employees/</a>
Angry Moderate
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:49 p.m.
The question is whether she is temporary. It has nothing to do with whether she is part time.
jcj
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:26 a.m.
Part-time workers may also be those who only work during certain parts of the year. Part-time work is treated for all practical purposes in the same way as full-time work under federal law, specifically, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) applies to both types of workers in the same way. <a href="http://definitions.uslegal.com/p/part-time-employees/" rel='nofollow'>http://definitions.uslegal.com/p/part-time-employees/</a>
Steve
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:03 a.m.
Now there's a stunning surprise.......not!
Post It Notes
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:02 a.m.
I feel so badly for the woman injured... this is just insult added!
grimmk
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 3:40 a.m.
I am saddened but not surprised by this turn of events. Most companies don't provide insurance to their employees. Especially if they are working min wage (which I admit I don't know if she was). It is rarer still to provide insurance to part time or seasonal employees. Is this what we want, America? Whole lives destroyed due to injury and medical bills? I pray that someday we will have universal health care or at least a system that will help out people like Ms. Armbruster. I'm not saying everything should be covered, but you should be able to walk into an ER and get help without fear of going into debt.
grimmk
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 3:18 p.m.
I vote. I'm all for it. But not just BOOM universal heathcare for all . We need to build up a system. Start small, cover basics like doctor visits, blood tests, x -ray and ER visits.
Forever27
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:04 p.m.
praying for universal health care won't do you any good. your vote is the only thing that matters.
Ron Granger
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 3:15 a.m.
I wonder if this is insurance in name only. Aren't all the workers seasonal, and therefore temporary? If so, it's like his business doesn't actually have insurance.
bruno_uno
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 2:28 a.m.
welcome baby boomers to the world you created for us your kids..... no permanent job benefits, we are all temporary or contractors in the greedy business environment you created. Too bad you cant remember woodstock
julieswhimsies
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:44 p.m.
Well. My parents produced Reagan and trickle down economics, but they also created Medicare and Social Security. I'm a Boomer, and the jury is still out on us...but guess what, honey? Very soon, it will be YOUR turn to screw up the country for YOUR kids. Lots of luck with that.
DeeDee
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:07 p.m.
your generation is even larger than the baby boom! Millennials can and should find their voices, and forge a better path. This baby boomer hopes you will.
justcurious
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 11:50 a.m.
What the heck is this rant about. Your arrow missed me.
alphamare
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 1:22 a.m.
Very sorry for the young womans injury. But, she chose to drive a team she felt was unsafe. There were 2 other teams of horses hitched and available. Michigan liability should apply here.
Goofus
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 2:25 a.m.
Did you ever find who beat you up, Mr. Hoey?
Lewis M
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 1:12 a.m.
One VERY important question. Is Western World the Workers Compensation company or the General Liability company? Based on my research Western World does NOT sell workers compensation policies. Workers compensation policies cover employees injured on the job. If Western World is only the General liability Company, then denial of the claim would be appropriate as the Workers Compensation company would cover medical bills and lost wages. A2.com, you need to be more specific and research this more.....
Mary Sobecki-Pierce
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 1 a.m.
Not surprised that his insurance company policy is the bare minimum. I've heard many stories from previous employees etc. that his animals aren't insured etc. We all need to stop giving them any business and they will close. Things are way too shady over there to me. My family hasn't been there in years and will never go again. I feel so bad for this accident and truly hope she is able to receive some compensation from his assets to pay for her medical bills. I hope she finds some justice.
Louhi
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:58 a.m.
It would be nice if Annarbor.com would do a little research before posting this article. There is a difference with types of insurance. Western World Insurance offers general liabilty. General liability does not extend to employees that are injured during work processes. Workers comp coverage would cover liabilites to employees. It is State law for employers to carry workers comp. on three or more part-time employees and a minimum of one employee if the peson works more than 35 hours a week. If Hoey is not reporting employees than the State may not have been able to catch up to him. Now, Western World would have to cover injuries/liaiblities sustained by public as a result of neglience.
justcurious
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 11:56 a.m.
This was discussed previously. I did note a listing for Jenny's saying they were insured by "Michigan Insurance" for Worker's Comp.. But that might just be a generic term. Worker's Comp seems to offer little to the permanently disabled employee, regardless. Like 80% of her average wage, AFTER taxes. But supposedly she could not sue also under Worker's Comp. But the main point is I AM NOT a lawyer, and she has one working to her benefit.
Marshall Applewhite
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:25 a.m.
I still remain entirely confused as to why this is a front page story. Almost comical at this point.
julieswhimsies
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:48 p.m.
Please remove your tinfoil hat for a moment and think. This is a story of a local tragedy. Shame on you. There is nothing to laugh about here.
Steve
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:05 a.m.
Go easy on Marshall. It's cold in deep space....Hale-Bopp isn't due back for another 3,000 years! It can affect reason.
Ron Granger
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 3:14 a.m.
The fact that a local woman works hard, gets hurt and paralyzed on the job, and has hundreds of thousands in immediate medical bills.. That is comical to you? And yet you continue to comment on the front page story.
Marshall Applewhite
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:42 a.m.
The story.
justcurious
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:38 a.m.
What is comical about a paralyzed woman?
justcurious
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:24 a.m.
It looks like the original articles on the accident are not available any more on Annarbor.com
EyeHeartA2
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 3:02 a.m.
Nah, they're all still there. AA.com did a crappy job of tagging them. Some are tagged "Burton Hoey", some are tagged "Jenny's Market" etc. Anyway, type "Jenny's" up in the search box top left and the whole sordid history springs forth.
justcurious
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:14 a.m.
As far as I know, Jenny's Farm Market is not in Burton Hoey's name. It is in his daughter's name; as is the property on the corner and the houses on the hill. The large family home and 24 acres have been on the market for awhile. She, most likely, would be responsible for any settlements, since she owns the property and assets. This is another unfortunate aspect of this whole mess. I hep that Mary Armbruster will be able to receive something from somewhere to help her along.
Vette96drvr
Sat, Jan 21, 2012 : 2:14 a.m.
actually JCJ, that is all fact. Jenny owns the land on the corner, Burton owns the market UNLESS he recently put it in her name. The house and acreage is in the estate. FACT, check it out Kettle :)
jcj
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 5:06 a.m.
@ Vette96drvr This looks like speculation to me. Hello Pot! "Jenny owns the land the market is on but the market is Burtons (unless he put that in her name)."
Vette96drvr
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 2:25 a.m.
Correct, Francis (Burtons mom) gave Jenny the property on the corner. I believe the houses and 24 acres are all part of her (Francis') estate to be split amongst Burton and his siblings. Jenny owns the land the market is on but the market is Burtons (unless he put that in her name).
jns131
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:21 a.m.
Technically even though she fell on the property? If Hoey owned the stand his daughter is not liable if she wrote something up disclaiming accidents and injury. O this is a wild case this one is.
Peregrine
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 11:51 p.m.
I am not a lawyer. But the legal question is whether a seasonal employee is a temporary employee. My sense of Jenny's Market is that during the Halloween season they offered activities such as pony rides, a giant haystack, and hayrides. And that these activities were only offered for a couple months out of the year. If so, that would make Ms. Armbruster a seasonal employee. I feel for Ms. Armbruster. But her tragedy does not override the legalities of the policy or obligate the insurance company to pay. It was Mr. Hoey who chose the policy and who was responsible for maintaining the wagon.
Townie
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 11:11 p.m.
Everyone is blaming the insurance company. Sorry folks but it's the choices the employer makes in choosing benefits to meet their desired 'payment level' and Mr. Hoey elected to not choose that coverage. An economic choice he made among the many bad decisions he made. Now Ms. Armbruster is paying for his choices. Again. I'm still curious about the status of the alleged robbery of all that cash - what is going on there?
Vette96drvr
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 2:20 a.m.
Since any employee at a farm market (for the most part) would be seasonal, if he did not choose the limited coverage, his agent sold him a policy that the agent most likely knew would not cover any injuries as all the employees would be considered temps.
snapshot
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 11:47 p.m.
Yeah but did he not choose the coverage or was it standard language that wasn't clarified. Just because the policy has an exclusion doesn't mean it was "selected" by the purchaser. If the agent selling the policy had a reasonable knowledge that such a business would likely hire a part time or temporary worker and did not explain or offer proper coverage, then the insurance company could reasonably be ordered to pay. It's not black and white as you suggest.
Fat Bill
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 10:50 p.m.
No doubt the beginning of a protracted court battle, i would be surprised if the insurance company didn't try to pull this move. The only real winners are the lawyers...
smokeblwr
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 10:16 p.m.
This whole fall was strange for Jenny's Market. Remember when somebody "robbed and beat up" Mr. Hoey after hours when everybody left? He lost tens of thousands of dollars. Any leads on that? I haven't heard anything.
Goofus
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 2:23 a.m.
There has been no follow up on that story.
Usual Suspect
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 2:02 a.m.
That would require journalism
DwightSchrute
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 10:10 p.m.
I'm no lawyer, but it seems like it'd be easy to disprove the insurance company's interpretation of 'temporary worker' if Armbruster can show she worked there on a regular basis with no known end date of employment.
sg
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:58 p.m.
There was an article that came out when this first happened and I swear Hoey was quoted that he would make sure that she was taken care of. What happened to that promise? Hoey must have had the very bare minimum coverage, which is pretty stupid on his part. Wonder what the insurance company is saying about the robbery? Also, wondering what the insurance company is saying about the kid that fell of the pony?
DBH
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 3:03 a.m.
The article from 9/25/11 ( <a href="http://annarbor.com/news/dexter/farmers-market-owner-says-hayrides-stopped-following-workers-accident/">http://annarbor.com/news/dexter/farmers-market-owner-says-hayrides-stopped-following-workers-accident/</a> ) contains the following quote: "Hoey said he had heard that the woman was able to sit up and talk to her mother, but he said late Sunday morning that he did not know about her updated condition. The market, he said, will cover the young woman's hospital bills. Hoey said the woman was experienced with horses, having worked with them at The University of Findlay in Ohio. She started at the market about a month ago. 'She's an awful good person,' he said. 'She always focused on what she was doing.'" He only guaranteed coverage of her hospital bills by the market, not all medical expenses she might incur.
Vette96drvr
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 2:15 a.m.
you are also speculating JCJ. "But he may have been assuming his insurance company would not stiff them." And "I don't think he has the means to make good on that promise if he made it." Yep, your speculating to know what Burton was thinking and what his finaces are. Hey pot, this is the kettle calling.
jcj
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 10:37 p.m.
Where in this article does it say he won't? I don't think he has the means to make good on that promise if he made it. And I think I do remember him saying something to that effect. But he may have been assuming his insurance company would not stiff them. "Hoey must have had the very bare minimum coverage, which is pretty stupid on his part." Speculation on your part, I am surprised it is allowed.
jcj
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:53 p.m.
I do hope that the Ins Co. Loses this battle. I agree with Unknown. Working fewer hours than 40 does not mean you are temporary! There are people that have worked at places for years without ever working 40 hours!
JustMyOpinion
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 1:42 a.m.
Temporary, sadly, seems correct; she was not a year around part time but a seasonal e.g. temporary worker. Very unfortunate for all but the insurance company.
Gorc
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:30 a.m.
There is a difference between a part time employee and a temporary employee.
5c0++ H4d13y
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:20 a.m.
I hope they don't because laws and contracts need to mean something. Why sign them otherwise?
John
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.
My heart goes out to Ms. Armbruster and yes she is facing years of medical bills and pain. IMHO Mr. Hoey has a humane and ethical responsibility to insure that these medical bills are completely paid for and this young woman is compensated for her pain and suffering. Even if it was a temporary position, Ms. Armbruster was hired by him, worked for him, and was making money for him. Anyone who visits this market knows full well that they are making a good deal of money and you would think they would be required to carry liability insurance since they do have farm animals on the property any of which could harm a visitor or worker. I know I will not spend another penny at this market. Jenny's needs to pay up or close up.
julieswhimsies
Sat, Jan 21, 2012 : 7:32 p.m.
I parked my truck, got out and looked around, and saw no dog. I will keep an eye out, though.
jmho
Sat, Jan 21, 2012 : 12:06 a.m.
@julieswhimsies- please update us on reporting the dog.
jmho
Sat, Jan 21, 2012 : 12:03 a.m.
@just curious- has anyone reported the dog not being cared for properly to the Humane Society? (Even if so, have they been able to ever prove improper care for the other animals there?)
julieswhimsies
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:56 p.m.
If you saw a tethered dog, why did you not call the ASPCA?! I'll drive by today, and if I see that dog I WILL call the ASPCA immediately.
justcurious
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:03 p.m.
jns, no, it's business as usual over at the farm stand. Except now there is a dog tied to the fence out back all day on the cold ground. He just stares at the building all day.
jns131
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:19 a.m.
At this point? They are closed permanently. As for Mr Hoey? His livelyhood is now gone and he too is living off social security and lucky if his house isn't foreclosed. What a mess.
Lisa
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:36 p.m.
What the heck is insurance for it it doesn't cover this type of on the job injury? How much was paid into the policy? Do people need insurance to protect them for insurance companies? The last thing this young woman should have to worry about is medical bills, she had more than enough to deal with. Even if the lawsuit goes through, will Jenny's even be able to pay.
jns131
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 12:18 a.m.
The state will compensate her and so will social security. She will get money for the bills and because she is now disabled, social security kicks in. Pain and suffering are another issue and they won't get much if Hoey declares bankruptcy. Because all the bills have to be paid for first. Good luck with that one.
snapshot
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 11:42 p.m.
It already exists, it's called an umbrella policy.
Mick52
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:52 p.m.
Shhhhh. Don't give insurance companies any ideas like Insurance insurance which is kind of a good idea. I think the insurance company has a good point if the policy was intended to cover only full time employees, but I have a sneaking suspicion that may have been in fine print buried in several pages of lingo that you need an interpreter for to figure out what it means.
Unknown
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:26 p.m.
My heat goes out to the victim! I would consider an employee who works on the weekend to be part time not temporary. This is awful and I hope she is taken care of financially because she will need it. Just awful.
Angry Moderate
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:39 p.m.
Part-time doesn't tell us whether she's temporary or not. The article doesn't mention whether she has a specific end-date, if she comes back every year, etc.
Unknown
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:27 p.m.
*Heart not heat oops
redwingshero
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:16 p.m.
Sounds like she needs to call Sam!
ummsw
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:23 p.m.
Or Fieger and Associates
nickcarraweigh
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:06 p.m.
It is what it is, I guess, and Hoey should have known it
bruceae
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 8:51 p.m.
Of course. "Like a Good neighbor", "The Good Hands People", etc All insurance companys are your best friend until you try and file a large claim. Then their lawyers can dig through the fine print and find a way to not pay.
kindred spirit
Sat, Jan 21, 2012 : 3:59 a.m.
There ought to be a law that any worker injured at a workplace, temporary or not, ought to be covered by insurance by the employer. Period. And as for temporary worker, are there any workers at Jenny's Market that are permanent workers? Probably only family members, if anyone. I get sick thinking of all of the kids and college students working jobs and not realizing they have no coverage. Parents ought to interview the workplace after the boss interviews the kid.
Angry Moderate
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:43 p.m.
My gosh people are having trouble reading. As I said several times, I don't know whether she was a temporary worker. If she was, the policy doesn't cover her. Insurance companies are not charities. If you don't buy coverage for temporary workers, they aren't going to give it to you for free. There is no "digging through the fine print" involved.
MIKE
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:40 p.m.
Well AM, we can use that logic to say everyone is a "temporary worker", can't we?
Angry Moderate
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
jcj - I think you are reading things that are not there. All I said is that not covering a temporary worker is not a trick of "fine print" as someone accused. I have no idea whether this particular woman was a temporary worker (although it seems likely, since hay rides are quite seasonal.)
jcj
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 6:40 p.m.
Angry Moderate You Said: "I have no idea how the law defines temporary worker" No argument here as to what you know! Check out some of my later post to enlighten yourself on definitions of temporary and part time employee's.
Angry Moderate
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:38 p.m.
jcj - I have no idea how the law defines temporary worker or what the woman's work arrangements were. Neither do you. The point is that insurance companies are not charities-- you pay for what the policy covers and nothing more. It's not some trick of fine print if the contract says no temporary workers.
Goober
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 10:59 a.m.
If they are paid, they are a worker.
jcj
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 4:20 a.m.
@ Angry Moderate Please enlighten us as to how you define a temporary worker!
Angry Moderate
Fri, Jan 20, 2012 : 1:07 a.m.
Fine print? If you want coverage for temporary workers, you have to pay more. Simple statistics.
5c0++ H4d13y
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 11:58 p.m.
Maybe people should read the policy before they sign? Every coverage item added cost the insurance company more. Or maybe they should offer blanket coverage for a low low price and go out of business.
Homeland Conspiracy
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 9:06 p.m.
You got that right.
Hmm
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 8:46 p.m.
Say goodbye to Jenny's market!