Regina doctor says thousands not treated properly by Saskatchewan WCB

Regina doctor says workers with back injuries not getting the help they need

"A Regina doctor says thousands of injured workers haven't been treated properly by the Saskatchewan Worker's Compensation Board. . . . He said 20,000 to 30,000 workers with back injuries have not received the treatment they deserve over the past years. "

By The Canadian Press

REGINA -- A Regina doctor says thousands of injured workers haven't been treated properly by the Saskatchewan Worker's Compensation Board.

Dr. Ronald Katz brought up his concerns at the board's annual meeting Tuesday.

He told the board "there is a serious failure to meet the needs of workers with back injuries."

He said 20,000 to 30,000 workers with back injuries have not received the treatment they deserve over the past years.

A board official responded that it's heard it all before and told Katz he had three minutes to tell the meeting about one case.

WCBs are funded by employers, who are charged a certain dollar amount that goes into an accident fund to cover lost wages and benefits of workers injured on the job.

The money also goes towards medical treatment and rehabilitation.

James Taphorn, an injured worker, also wanted to raise his concerns at the meeting, but wasn't allowed.

At the door, he was handed a letter declaring he was a safety threat.

"They knew what the question was and I guess they didn't want to answer it."

The board rolled out a new campaign at its meeting to eliminate all workplace injuries in the province.

Saskatchewan has the second highest workplace injury rate in the country.

Copyright (c) 2008 The Canadian Press