“Claimant’s statement is undated, not signed, argumentative, replete with Claimant’s opinions and self-serving.”
This is what a WC judge wrote about me-the injured worker-in response to a penalty petition that the attorney filed. All I can say is WOW! I will also say that this statement is an ad hominem. An ad hominem is defined as “attacking a person’s motives and character rather than a position or argument. It also appeals to the emotions (pathos) and prejudices rather than to logic (logos) and reason. It’s a fallacious argument. People generally use ad hominem when you have the stronger argument. They use ad hominem because they have nothing left of credibility to offer in defense of their position. First of all, I never made a statement on paper, under oath, or in an affidavit, so I was not given any legal document to sign or date. Secondly, generally when you are presenting your case in a courtroom, you are in fact arguing your case. Thirdly, I produced documentation that clearly shows the mistake was on the defendant’s side, not mine or my bank, because the defendant entered the wrong bank account number, so that is not an opinion. It is a fact. Finally, to call an injured worker self-serving is tantamount to a doctor calling a patient lazy who is in a comma, or a person whose Constitutional rights are being violated as self-serving when they dare to push back. Truth be told though, according to the Living God we all are self-serving, which is why we are all sinners (Romans chapter 5). The only One who is not self-serving is Jesus Christ who is sinless because He is God and who laid down His life for sinners so He could purchase us with his shed blood on Calvary and save us from Eternal damnation.
In defense of myself and my attacked character, I waited over nine months to finally get any money from workman's compensation because they initially denied the claim. I had to use over $8000 in student loan money to pay my bills because I could not work. In addition, I signed a C & R agreement to resign from my position which was paying 42K a year, to not apply to another Commonwealth position (who is supposed to be an equal opportunity employer), and I gave up my employment claim (my civil rights were violated) in exchange for the settlement monies. I have endured two years of pain and disability and have had to have over a dozen percutaneous needles jammed into my spine in order to avoid surgery which I may very well need in the future. At one point, I needed a cane to walk because the pain was so bad. Because of the harassment and abuse I received on the job (see my former post on abuse), and their denial of my rights initially forcing me to get a lawyer, naturally I was angry when my check was late. Any sane person would feel the same and do the same. Clearly this "public service" judge has never had a work injury and has never been treated with contempt and disdain for daring to speak up for her rights. This is gaslighting, and it’s bias. Aren’t judges who are public servants supposed to be held to higher standards than this? Aren’t they getting tax payer money and generous pensions?
I attended one hearing and this judge initially said that generally there are penalties assessed when a payment is late under the WC law. But then she was very rude to me, snapping at me when I wanted to say something. She cut me off right away, saying I was represented, so I wasn't allowed to speak. She also publicly humiliated her clerk in front of everyone who was in the Zoom meeting. Apparently the poor clerk wasn’t typing fast enough. The judge reamed her out so bad telling her that if she can’t learn to type fast enough she should get another job. I felt so bad for that clerk. There are people who use their “power” to bully others. This judge clearly didn’t even seek to understand. She rushed to judgment. But it’s not surprising when I witnessed her abusing the clerk.
In 1 Kings, chapter 3, verses 16-28, the Bible tells the story of King Solomon who was a wise king and judge and had to make a difficult decision. When two women came before him claiming to be the mother of a child, Solomon knew that if he threatened to kill the child, the real mother would give up her child to the women who was not the true mother because the real mother would not want her child to be harmed. When Solomon said he would split the child in half with a sword and give each woman one half, the real mother got down on her knees and begged King Solomon not to harm her child and told him to give the child to the other woman. That’s when Solomon knew that who the real mother was. Solomon had wisdom-something that is absent in our present day culture. All judges should have wisdom. They should not be bullies.
Public service is not about serving the public anymore. It’s about an abuse of power because we live in a very wicked culture. When I worked at the Commonweath, it was my first job in the public sector because I had always worked in the private sector. I witnessed people who are clearly not interested in serving the public, although they may give the impression that they are. That’s the irony because public service is now self-serving, certainly not serving the civilian population. But then again, most people can’t spot their own ironies, just like that can’t see the bigger picture. The reason I got injured is because I was doing most of the work that the other “public service workers” were not doing so I was essentially caring for over 15-20 patients (Veterans) by myself. But, I know, I am self-serving according to this judge. I can recognize psychological gaslighting when I see it.
Unfortunately, corruption is in our judicial system. Some judges are just and righteous but others are clearly corrupt. The cash-for-kids-scandal involved two Pennsylvania judges taking kick backs (2 million dollars) for incarcerating children for such minor offenses-even a ten-year-old was put in detention so a judge could profit from this abuse. These judges showed no mercy, didn’t give a crap about those children leaving some permanently damaged, and instead were very self-serving.