Myself vs. Goliath

Who ever thinks the story about David and Goliath with the common saying the bigger they are the harder they fall hasn't been battling Werner Enterprises/Driver Management Inc for over the last year. Instead of getting better and easier the battle is getting harder with every single step. Why am I in a battle with this company you may ask? They violated what every working person wants... respect and loyalty.

I never thought I would be driving a 18wheeler after working jobs in Law Enforcement and Fire Services but fate and life seems to change our dreams. After two life changing events that ended in divorce and requiring a Service Dog to accompany me so I could function and eventually work I found myself wondering what do I do now? I want to get paid to see the country, Ill become a truck driver!

I struggled at first with my disability and working with a Service Dog but after a few months things got a little easier. I got news my grandfather was dying of cancer so I requested to be routed to Washington from Georgia. I never made it instead my life became a wreck, literally.

I didn't know it at the time but 3 hours before I was to pass on I80 in Idaho a tractor trailer had wrecked. I was the first bunch of trucks through after the road was re-opened, but as fate would have it my light load would have detrimental effects as the overweight truck before me hollered out on the CB "Watch it I just hit a slick spot. Before I had even a chance to respond my truck careened out of control and I was just a rider in store for one hell of a ride.

I remember sitting there looking at the headlights of the vehicles that was once behind me and hearing nothing. Everything surreal as each of my senses were overloaded and nothing seemed right. Then suddenly it all came back.. the sounds of buzzers, my Service Dog crying behind me, the smell of dirt and truck then PAIN. The overweight truck driver before me was on the CB calling for me and all I could say is "I hurt get help" then he said "I'm stopping Lil Dragon I will be there as fast as I can run back to you. I thought this was the worst pain I had ever felt and prayed It wouldn't get any worse but there is a different kind of pain than physical pain.

First being abandoned in Idaho with an injured service dog, a sore broken body and all your belongings and being told here is a ticket for a 3 day bus ride home and only 50lbs of your belongings with you. Now if I could even manage 50lbs of my belongings that would of been great but with an injured spine and neck and my shoulder in a sling I took10lbs home which included dog food, dog harness, change of clothes, checkbook and bills, and a few small items. Every bump, every mile was torture on both of us for three days on a Greyhound bus. They had denied my request to be flown home even after knowing about our injuries and length of travel. What made it worse is the majority of the ride the bus was packed and without paying for another ticket my Service Dog was shoved in the tight floor space and only through the kindness of some people took turns standing so he didn't have feet on top of him.

Then I became homeless with no money coming in because I was suspended without pay for 4 weeks pending the non-existent investigation of the accident. Then I was fired with the reason being "because of the accident." then when you file for unemployment they report your terminated because of misconduct and let me remind you misconduct is a willful violation or act against an employer. Only to find out in a tribunal that they changed records after you file for unemployment to cover their tracks.

And knowing your employer knowingly let you suffer for 9 months without surgery because you just weren't lucky enough to have the right case worker and told "If I had your case you would of had surgery months ago but you fell through the cracks."

Then being told you don't get disability checks from us because if you were employed with us you would be working light duty but since your not you don't get checks. Can anyone explain that one to me I would be happy to try and understand that logic. Also most employers wont employ someone with huge work restrictions.

Then by not being a lawsuit happy person believing your employer is suddenly going to understand their error and do the right thing so you wait until the 300 day to file as told by Nebraska EEOC is your time limit. Somehow your file is transferred to Georgia where they only have 180 day filing time limit so now your case is being dismissed because no charges fall within the 180 days. But thats after your ear is filled with all the statements you know are lies being told by Werner Enterprises to EEOC. Even with proof of the history of not telling the truth in the unemployment tribunal which was won and the charge of misconduct dismissed.

But being treated so wrongly by a company that you remained loyal to and worked hard for with no prior accidents, with no prior disciplinary actions and most of all the company you choose to stay with after other company's offered you more money and better benefit's and these were not your normal newbie company's but seasoned driver required but you just happened to impress the manager of a company who observes you backing into a extremely hard dock and finds out you have only been driving for 5months. But NO you believe in LOYALTY to your company and now you only wish they had some loyalty to you.. Thats the pain that hurts the most.

Now I have to fight for justice and this time I am not sure David can beat Goliath this time.