State, private insurer at odds over animal control officer’s injury claim
By Eric Valentine
Every day, as he recovers from a near-fatal fall down a flight of stairs, Paul Ramm—now a traumatic brain injury patient at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise—takes part in a series of occupational rehabilitation exercises, from riding a stationary bike to playing a game of cards. It is painstaking and frustrating—perhaps only the second-most painstaking and frustrating matter the now-former Blaine County animal control officer and his family have to deal with these days.
The Bureaucracy
That’s because the State Insurance Fund has denied the workers compensation claim for Ramm’s accident on Aug. 17, when toward the end of his shift he had stopped at an acquaintance’s home to use their restroom, and fell down a flight of stairs onto hard concrete. The state says the accident was not in the course of his law enforcement duties, and Ramm’s personal insurance provider says anything happening while on duty is.
According to documents provided by Janell Porter (Ramm’s daughter), an attorney representing the state is denying:
That the accident alleged in the Complaint actually occurred on or about the time claimed
That the condition for which benefits are claimed was caused by an accident arising out of and in the course and scope of Ramm’s employment
That the rate of wages claimed is correct
Essentially, the state has declined to enter mediation, which means Ramm’s family and Ramm’s insurer will have to take the State Insurance Fund to court. It also means Ramm’s private insurance provider is having a large hand in running the show.
“We find out on Wednesday (Oct. 20) whether they’ll require him to discharge or return home and continue all treatment as an outpatient,” Porter explained. “He will need long-term physical, occupational and speech therapies. We will also have to figure out home help so that Mom can have a break or be outside taking care of their property.”
The matter is not sitting well with other members of local law enforcement, according to Porter.
“Many of dad’s colleagues are voicing concern about this and the risks it may present for them if they are ever injured on the job,” Porter said.
The Miracle
From early September to early October, there was a 30-day period where Porter could not see her ailing father due to COVID restrictions due to the amount of ventilation patients at Vibra, a long-term, critical-care hospital in Boise.
What follows is a post from Porter’s Facebook page and a statement to Wood River Weekly she made via email.
“Vibra was amazing! Today, I got to go to the St. Al’s Rehab Hospital that he was moved to last week. I was able to hug him, hold his hand, participate in PT, and just spend time with him. From the unresponsive person he was in August that they told us to start making end-of-life decisions to now is such a miracle. Yes, he has more to go but I am counting this milestone as a miracle. He is gaining weight and strength; trying to talk more and relearn everything basically like a toddler at this point.”