Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

[wildmaninal]

Well to start with I've been unemployed for just a hair over a year now, applied for a bunch of jobs. Recently have the opertunity to work at a rent to own place, which I have that kind of experience from another place I've worked at in the past. I still have a chance at getting on to this rent to own place, it is just a slow process on their part when hiring people. I done passed the test and back ground check just waiting on the confirmation on taking a drug test, which I won't have a problem passing by the way if I get the opertunity. The rent to own job may require some heavy lifting, but it wouldn't be constant and I would most likely be able to sit down a majority of the day at least on some days making call throughs answering the phone etc etc.

Now my sister n law just got hired on to a road construction job which she has been into this line of work off and on in the past. She along with my mother think that it would be a great idea to try out for this job and drive a dump truck which is automatic. I have no experience driving a dump truck, and they do not require a cdl do to the fact it isn't driving on the road.

The thing is I don't think my foot will hold up to the constant driving 11 hours a day 6 days a week. These family members of mine can't seem to understand that. When my foot hurts these boots or at least the one boot has to come off. I am registered as handi capped, can't walk over 200 feet without having to stop and rest.

I am so irretated that these my family thinks I am just able to do any and everything. If you ask me I would much wrather go to college and get into boat repair or small engine repair, or just stay with my high school education and take this other job at the rent to own. Problem is I live back with mom still and I constantly deal with why don't you do this or that. Here I have toyed with the idea of getting disability and most likely I could get it, even if it is a partial disability. I thought about driving a big rig in the past but I put that idea off because I know for a fact I couldn't handle it.

I'm sick of it, my own family doesn't realize the pain I'm in the foot isn't the only thing that bothers me but it is a more constant pain compared to the other areas like my knees. There are days that I just don't feel like doing a blessed thing because of my condition and I just don't like the past couple of days, well I did go out and work on a boat motor today.

Oh I'm supposed to go down and apply for that dump truck driving job tomorrow (the 5th).

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

I take it that it was the right ankle that was fused and hence the problem with driving?

What if you had the pedals on the truck reversed? Since you're registered handicapped and it wouldn't cost a great deal, the trucking company couldn't refuse thanks to the ADA. Then you could use your left foot to drive with. Would that work?

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

HUH? 11 hours a day 6 days a week? NO WAY.....No one does that.no one

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

I take it that it was the right ankle that was fused and hence the problem with driving?

What if you had the pedals on the truck reversed? Since you're registered handicapped and it wouldn't cost a great deal, the trucking company couldn't refuse thanks to the ADA. Then you could use your left foot to drive with. Would that work?

Yes it is my right ankle that is fused. It would take allot of getting use to. Like this for example sense my uncle and brother were so down on my modified trolling motor that I was actually getting use to, I put electric steering on an old trolling motor, I removed it and put a regular foot control on my own boat . Now when fishing from on my left side, I half to use both feet to control the foot control and you can't really cast and use both feet good at all ballance is way off.

HUH? 11 hours a day 6 days a week? NO WAY.....No one does that.no one

I just love how my family plans out my life ya know . Actually I was mistaken, 11 hours a day through the week and 8 hours on saturday but still that sucks. They don't realize if it rains that I won't be working that day.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

Let me give you my take on this if you will. This is just a generalaztion and NOT pointed at you directly so don't shoot me.

People that have been injured and lay up for more than a month or so forget how to work. My brother (29 yo) has bad knees from football. He's had 2 surguries to fix them and they work but they'll never be right. He had a job at a MAJOR chain of stores and hurt his back. He done quite a bit of damage and will live with it forever. Some days he's as strong as an OX but for the next week he might not be able to lift 10 pounds. He was off for over 2 years. He sued the chain for wrongful termination. They decided on their own to say pizz on the doctors and tried to make him do a job he couldn't do. When he told them he couldn't do it they fired him. So two years later a lawyer has a pocketful of money and my brothers child support is paid with a couple of grand leftover for him. He still can't work a regular job. We run a scrap metal business together along with his freind helping him out. Most of the time he sits on the tractor or drives the truck. He can do this and still generate a little income. It took me pushing him HARD to get him to understand he has a long life ahead and to get off his azz and do something. He felt sorry for hisself and was allowing his body to waste away. He's now a proud man again. He can pay for his own food and necessities. He's got a long ways to go but he's getting there. What he's most proud of he's not a leach or beggar. He still lives at my parents cabin which has no running water (outhouse baby! ) but the change has been remarkable.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

Let me give you my take on this if you will. This is just a generalaztion and NOT pointed at you directly so don't shoot me.

People that have been injured and lay up for more than a month or so forget how to work.

I can see what you are saying. At the same time I would be taking a big risk working at a job that may require strenuous use of a limb (my ankle) or even heavy lifting on a job is risky in my case. If I injure this ankle and or foot again I can loose my foot and I don't need that. I have missed work in the past due to problems with my ankle and foot. One thing I do not know for sure is if the construction companies insurance will cover injuries that have happened in the past, in other words they may not cover my injurey if I decide to go back to the foot doctor once a month like I was doing. On my last job at Tyson Foods I constantly/everyday I bought an energy drink to get me through, there is no telling how much I spent just on those and I worked for that company for 4 years 2 months.

I don't think I would have a problem working at a desk job full time. As we may have discussed in the past on this forum, you'll need a college degree just to get a job at McDonalds before it is all said and done. This reminded me of when I made a comment to my brother about how somebody had a mean look all the time, my brother replied "well you always walk around with a mean look". I told him "because I am always dealing with some kind of pain". I find it hard to smile with pain.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

You have been surviving without a job for a year and living at your parents. Maybe you should focus on obtaining the education you need to jump start your life. Go to a vo-tech or some other trade type school.

Can you find a job as a security guard? They do lots of sitting and mostly just walking. It is a job that would pay the bills and allow you to go to schoool.

Taking a job that will potentially disable you more is the wrong thing to do.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

Yes it would take getting used to... but I'd bet the trucking company would give you time to get used to it.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

Most if not all companies will not deal with pre-existing injuries.
Just not smart on their part.
You will not like the bouncing around in a dump truck.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

You have been surviving without a job for a year and living at your parents. Maybe you should focus on obtaining the education you need to jump start your life. Go to a vo-tech or some other trade type school.

Can you find a job as a security guard? They do lots of sitting and mostly just walking. It is a job that would pay the bills and allow you to go to schoool.

Taking a job that will potentially disable you more is the wrong thing to do.

I have been existing not surviving and I'm about ready to live out of my truck again like I have done in the past (but not for long). I get along with my parents but I am so sick of not having a life, and the constant nagging by my mother about the job situation. The more she nags the more I don't want to do a blessed thing to be honest and yo yo aint the word for it, one day it is alright and I have my mother's support to go for my disability the next day "you gotta get a job". I give up. I have worked as a security guard in the past and actually like the job but didn't like the pay, back in 2002 or 2003. I have applied for 4 security jobs and haven't heard a thing from any of them. It is amazing how quick I heard back from that rent to own place, i applied for them one night over the internet and heard from them the next morning. I have applied for them in the past and haven't heard a thing though lol.

Most if not all companies will not deal with pre-existing injuries.
Just not smart on their part.
You will not like the bouncing around in a dump truck.

You make a good point, especially being off road driving I imagine that it would be a constant bumpy ride. See my father use to drive a big rig, and he even use to drive a dump truck for my uncle (his brother) he did this for a couple of years if not longer. This was over the road cdl required though, my father did this with a "bad back", but he got to swap up with his other brother at times.

Srg.... I don't see it happening though for real. They may do it for me for some big trucking company but not for driving a dump truck. With the economy like it is I don't see how truckers are making it, diesel up to over $4.00 a gallon.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

Most if not all companies will not deal with pre-existing injuries.
Just not smart on their part.
You will not like the bouncing around in a dump truck.

That's ok, the resulting lawsuits as a result of discriminatory practices against the handicapped pay even better than the jobs did... the ADA is VERY clear, and any manager/company that doesn't pay attention to it, is incompetent in my opinion, because they could be costing their company a ton of money. Courts have no mercy for that kind of thing, either.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

Srg.... I don't see it happening though for real. They may do it for me for some big trucking company but not for driving a dump truck. With the economy like it is I don't see how truckers are making it, diesel up to over $4.00 a gallon.

You never know, No matter what they will have to hire someone to drive that diesel at $4 a gallon...

Now of course, they might not hire you because other applicants are more qualified (have a CDL, or experience) but it won't be because of your ankle. You should still try for it though... worst they can do is say no, and you'd be guaranteeing that if you didn't try at all.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

You might try working as a heavy equipmemt operator. Most of the modern controls are hydraulic joysticks that are finger powered. Draglines, cranes and trackhoes are good examples of almost no footwork. I have an old D4 Caterpillar with no power assist. The only foot work it takes is pushing down the foot brakes and this is really acomplished with your thighs, not your feet.

I understand the handicapped status as I crushed my spinal chord in six places and there is only 15% left in a few joints in my back. The messages get down to my feet and hands and they come back, just not as fast as they used to. Right now I am an official leech on society, but I am working hard in several ways to get back to normal work. I know some Vocational Training schools that will work with the physically handicapped to get them in heavy equipment jobs. Crane operators are in particular demand and pay well.

Another avenue I am trying is writing books. I'll let you know how that turns out in a few months.

It can be a downer not to be able to do things like you were used to, but you can learn to do the same things like you can today. Gathering wood for my boiler and placing it onboard is a good example. I used to swing a Stihl 044 with a 26 inch bar all day with no problems, split the logs with a maul and throw them up into the boat while it was on the trailer. Now I have to plan my cuts carefully, usually makeing downward cuts only. I then scoot them over to a hydraulic splitter and then load the split pieces (smaller than before) in my front end loader's bucket. I then have to start up the tractor raise the bucket and go deposit the load in the boat, getting up there to sort the wood out and put it in the bunkers. It takes far longer than it used to and I get some good laughs at myself as some things slip through my hands and feet, but I get the job done. Determination and humor help.

The man that taught me to fly had had his legs shot off at the knee. It was a real ***** for him to nail the toe brakes on the old Stearman, but he could do it all day long and you could not tell by his rudder work that over half his legs were missing.

I hope you beat this problem. Hang in there and keep trying.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

First, you need to separate your problems with your family from the reality of your situation. Whether they are right or wrong isn't going to get you a job. Sorry, but that's just one of those "what you need to hear" rather than "what you want to hear" things.

I would also advise against taking this job even if it is offered to you. If your foot is that bad, working any job that is physical in nature for 63 hours per week, is not one that you are likely to be able to do for very long. I am also reacting as someone who drove flatbed trucks for awhile. Auto tranny or not, you are going to be in a vehicle with a very stiff suspension operating over uneven terrain. I just think that sort of situation is going to "beat you up" pretty badly, in very short order.

My suggestion to you is to find a state run job training office in your area. Explain your situation to them and see what sorts of things they might be able to offer. You never know, you might end up in a new career that fits both your physical needs and personal interests.

As for ADA, yes there are provisions in it about reasonable accomodations. The first problem you will run into is just what constitutes "reasonable." One of the tests for this is whether "significant difficulty or expense" would be involved in accomodating you. With this in mind, you have to ask yourself what the employer could possibly do to make a dump truck less damaging to you physically. Add to that, the fact that you still have to be able to do the job - the verbage that is used is "you must be able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accomodation." Since just bouncing around in a truck for up to 11 hours a day, would most likely hurt so badly that you wouldn't be able to continue doing it, I don't think you would have a prayer of winning an ADA case.

For whatever it is worth, my thoughts about ADA are based upon having had one of the first cases as an employer, when the law came out. I had a young guy who had applied for a job in one of my departments. As is turned out, he had a physical limitation (I can't be more specific in this public forum) that prevented him from doing the job without endangering himself and others. We didn't find this out until we had offered him the job and he went for his post hire physical. The docs basically said "no way" for the job involved and we felt we had agree. It was sort of a crappy situation because he was a great kid and we liked him - a lot. Long story short, he took us before that state's Division On Civil Rights and they tried pretty hard to beat us up over it. Once all of the information came out, however, we won and that was the end of it.

I really feel for you because you are in a situation that is not of your own making and it pretty much "inhales." That said, you have to find a way out of it and some sort of job training is most likely your best bet.

I wish you well and know that you will find your path in due time.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

It is not very expensive to switch the pedals... as far as him getting beat up in the truck, he wouldn't be any more than anyone else... as far as I can tell from his earlier post, his only physical limitations were his fused ankle. I hardly see how that would cause him to get beat up more than anyone else driving that dump truck.

Now if his back was torn up, or something like that, that would rule out his driving of the truck, then yes, he wouldn't have any protection under the ADA. But since it's a one-leg job that doesn't matter what leg it's done by... and he doesn't have any other ailments that would prevent him from driving... and because the accomodation would be very cheap... he would be fully protected by the ADA.

Of course, his problem would be that they wouldn't hire him not because of his disability, but because he has no experience... and that's not a discriminatory practice. Still, if they are willing to hire him with no experience... then his disability is a moot point in the whole thing.

By the way, Jay, I'm not sure how long ago that was, but I don't think you're supposed to give post employment physicals now... have to be pre-employment. Can't remember exactly though... will have to look it up to be sure... but in your case, it doesn't sound like the guy could do the job anyway, even with reasonable or even unreasonable accomodations... so that's a different case entirely, pun intended.

PS - I second the idea of furthering your education if you can afford to... you can often even get a stipend loan if you're a full time student to help with your living expenses. Of course it has to be paid back later, but presumably you would have a much better job then, anyway.

 

[dave11]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

HUH? 11 hours a day 6 days a week? NO WAY.....No one does that.no one

Get real. That is just a normal day in the office. If you don't think road drivers put in that kind of time, just ask one. I have spent 40+ years in the transportation industry. BTDT too many times!



Wildmaninal

You will not be able to put the time in a dump truck. As you should know they push dump truck drivers hard. If you do have a disability, contact a disability attorney. They will be your advocate through the system and courts. It will not cost you anything up front. If you eventually do not get disability, there will be no charge from the attorney. If you are awarded disability, the attorney will get his fee as a percentage (This percentage is set by the Social Security Administration) of your back payments. No matter how much your back payments amount to, the maximum the attorney will get is $5400. The amount may have changed since I was involved in it, but probably not much more. Again, it is set by the SSA. If you get awarded disability, they will retroactively pay you back to the first day you were unable to work. Too many other criteria to go into here.

It sounds as if you are still a young man. Rogerwa has made some good points. Whether or not you get disability, since you are living with your parents, take advantage of their support and go get some education in a field you would enjoy. Then you can get a job to support yourself.

I know how debilitating constant pain can be. I feel for you. I wish you the best. Go out and make your own luck. Let us know how things go for you.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

Now if his back was torn up, or something like that, that would rule out his driving of the truck.

Of course, his problem would be that they wouldn't hire him not because of his disability, but because he has no experience... and that's not a discriminatory practice. Still, if they are willing to hire him with no experience... then his disability is a moot point in the whole thing.

My leg (sense all these operations I had in the past) is about 2" inches shorter then what it was before the injurey happened. I half to where inserts in order to walk half way human, but I still walk with a noticable limp. This being the case the way I walk throws my balance off and my whole body out of alignment, it does cause me to have back pains (but not constant), hip pains from where I had bone taken out (right at my belt line) to be placed in my foot I can't remember the term for that operation (once again that pain isn't a constant) but when it starts it hurts so bad. The worst back pain I experienced recently was momorial weekend at the I was standing at the sink cleaning fish and I was grunting and growning from hurting so bad. Now I don't take pain pills for my fused ankle, I use to drink like a fish, and reduced that down to a drink once and a while to help me relax.

The last operation I had was in 2006 I had hammer toe correction done to all my toes on my bad foot. Don't get confused by when I say bad foot because I have a bad ankle and foot, it is pretty ugly. I can barely move the upper part of my foot, I can move my toes (aspecially sense the hammer toe surgery) I can move my toes the most but when compared to a regular foot I cannot move my toes as well as a normal person. I do have authritis and I do deal with swelling in this foot.

They are supposed to hire so many traineys no matter if they like it or not on this constrution job.

Thanks for all the input guys and the confidence boosters, it really gives me food for thought.

 

[angus63]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

BTDT too many times!

What is BTDT?

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

BTDT too many times!

What is BTDT?

B******* to many D*** times, is that what it is or means . I'm just laying the facts of my situation out. If I decided to try this driving job out then quit (because I couldn't handle it) that would be one more strike against any future applications/jobs opertunities.

You know when you fill an application out and it ask you if you quit any past jobs.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Would you drive a dump truck if you had a fused ankle?

Sarge, actually the medical is post offer. I tend to use the term "hired" somewhat loosely. You don't send an applicant for a medical, or ask medical questions, prior to the offer because doing so could be viewed as a means to weed out people with disabilities or medical conditions that might increase group health insurance premiums.

BTW - there is a little trick here in Louisiana that may be showing up in other states as well. It relates to post hire medical questionaires and has been applied to long term employees, as well as relatively new ones.

In Louisiana, we have something called the Second Injury Fund. What it does is to supplement workers comp insurance where a work related injury or illness is made worse by a previous, non-work related injury or illness. This reduces the amount of a given workers comp claim, while providing 100% payment to treat the effects of the work related problem.

What is going on here is that a few workers comp insurers have convinced their insureds (the employers) to make employees fill out a very comprehensive medical questionaire that asks for basically every single medical event or condition experienced by the person since birth. The last one that I saw was seven pages long. On every page of these forms, is a reference to a Louisiana law that requires employees to answer truthfully, under penalty of that law.

The catch, however, is that law absolutely does not require anyone to give up personal medical information outside of the context of a condition that is directly related to a work injury/illness and, even then, such information can only be asked for if there is an actual claim for the injury/illness.

Frankly, this is a scam by workers comp insurers to gather information for the purpose of avoiding or lessening claims. It is also very important for employees to understand that they should never answer such questions because workers comp insurance is not covered by HIPAA. That means that the WC insurers can share the information with whomever they like because it was "voluntarily" given to them. That said, this situation should not be confused with health questionaires for application to a group health insurance policy (which is covered by HIPAA), that is not individually priced under a composite rating system