Mindcross Adjuster Story of the Year (MADSY)
MADSY Winner 2011
Story by: Richard Liddell
Independent Insurance Adjuster
My First Storm Was a Pain in The Neck
After two years of training, certification, and licensing, I was being deployed. It was April of 2011 and I was going to work hail claims in Texas. A five-hour flight, a rental car, and six hours of driving put me in a hotel near my assignment.
Each day began at 6:00 AM. After a shower, microwave oatmeal, and confirmation calls, I was on the road by 7:00 AM. Several inspections and four hours of windshield time later, I was back in the CAT office to empty my basket, check messages, make appointments, sketch and adjust claims, log contacts, and make appointments. By 10:00 PM, I drove back to the hotel, called family, and turned in by 11:00 PM. My brain refused to turn off until 1:00 AM and then, buzzzzzz… it was another beautiful day.
On Tuesday of the fifth week, I was in the "adjusting groove." At 8:00 AM, I began inspecting. By 9:00 AM, I was taking a photo of a metal gambrel shed. I set the ladder against the center of the front gable so it wouldn't slide. The left ladder foot was in gravel, but seemed stable enough. I was standing six feet up photographing the hail-damaged ridge when a blast of wind hit and the ladder began sliding left. I recall thinking I could jump off the ladder.
The next half-second changed my life. My foot caught in the ladder and I flipped upside-down. I landed head-first in soft dirt. I felt a sudden jolt, saw a flash of light, and lay stunned on my back. After assessing toes, fingers, and body parts, and wondering when the fire ants would arrive, I rolled over, got up, secured the ladder on my vehicle, and asked the insured for some ice and ibuprofen. Thirty minutes later, I drove to the next appointment. Despite the sore neck and escalating pain, I inspected seven more roofs that day and several others during the rest of the week.
The following Monday, I finished my assigned claims and checked out of my hotel. I then checked in to the hospital ER at 11:30 AM. They became excited when they found my C2 neck vertebra was broken. I was transported to a neurological trauma center. The fracture was judged stable with no neurological symptoms, so I was released to go home at 8:30 PM. After six months of wearing an Aspen neck collar and restriction from work, I still have several months of physical therapy ahead of me before I am released back to work.
Out of 11,000 spinal injuries each year, 6,000 die, 5,000 are disabled, and one has no surgery or neurological problems. I am that one.
Thank God, I am alive to tell the story.
