| Mulugeta Negash known to many
Eritreans in Ottawa as a committed volunteer and a talented artist and
sportsman is a survivor of a 7 year old spectacular two car head on
crash on the then new section of Highway 416. Mulugeta was traveling
back to Ottawa from Toronto when the car he was traveling in became
air born as it tried to pass two tractor trailers and landed on the
other side of the highway where it was hit head on by a south bound
vehicle. Mulugeta was rushed to Ottawa Civic Hospital on an emergency
helicopter in critical and life threatening conditions. He was in a
comma for two weeks before awaking to realize what had happened to
him. He went through heart surgery along with other serious
operations. Today Mulugeta is a "different" person in his words and is
asking for his rights to be upheld as he endures excruciating
negotiations with his insurance companies to give him the support he
is asking for. Dimtsi Eritrea News Services (DENS) had an opportunity
to interview Mulugeta about his current battle with his insurance
company and the changes in his life as a result of the awesome
accident. |
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Interview with Mulugeta
Negash |
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Q- Your accident was one of the worst accidents
in Ontario history, and you are still suffering the psychological and
physical effects of the accident, so my question is how has the
accident changed your life? |
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A- I feel completely different, like a different
person. |
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Q- How so? |
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A- I always feel the physical pain. I get easily
tired… and I lost my talents like playing sports. I am hopeless, I
feel like I have no hope. I feel lonely because I cannot do the same
things I used to do with my friends and family. I used to be a very
active community volunteer but now, what would I do? I am disabled. I
have a long piece of metal in my leg which means standing or walking
for a short time gives me great pain. My memory is not the same, I
forget things and I have no concentration. I don’t paint or draw and
more because, art is something more than just paint and a brush, it
needs a lot of concentration, and I don’t have that. |
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Q- So these problems are a result of the
accident? |
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A- Yes. |
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Q- How do you live, I mean after the accident how
do you get by? |
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A- I had friends and family help me immediately
after the accident but it was a burden for them to take care of me,
they were there 24 hours a day. I felt more like a patient than a
friend or brother. So it is very difficult for me. |
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Q- Do you get support from the government? |
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A- Well, I was getting around $300 a month for
around 4 years after the accident which was nothing and rent was
around $150, so what do I do with the rest of the $150, what can you
do? How do they expect me to survive. |
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Q- So my question is, how do you survive? |
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A- I have to thank God. It amazes me too. |
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Q- So what do you do now? |
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A- I am at the Robeni Easy Centre. |
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Q- What is that? |
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A- The people at the centre get help on how to
live normally again, how to be independent. How to cook for yourself
and stuff like that. |
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Q- Is the help you are getting enough? |
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A- No because I am getting only the 6 months of
treatment. It is not a quick fix problem it is my life! And I need
serious help and attention. |
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Q- But is the treatment you are getting at the
centre helpful to you? |
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A- Yes, the people their have really helped me a
lot. |
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Q- Why are you getting the treatment 7 years
after the accident? |
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A- That is my question too. My doctor recommended
I go to the centre but my insurance company did not allow me to go
because they are the ones who pay for it. |
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Q- But doesn’t OHIP cover the your expenses at
the centre. |
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A- I don’t know, maybe the government needs the
money from the insurance company first. There are many people like me
that are waiting for the treatment but their insurance companies don’t
let them, so they get on a waiting list. The insurance companies do
not want to spend money. |
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Q- But if you needed the treatment and your
doctor recommended it why did the insurance company refuse? |
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A- They don’t care about people they want to get
away without helping me, I think they pay thousands of dollars to their
doctors to lie and say that the patience are fine. The system is in
place to help the insurance companies not us the people. To me this is
corruption. |
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Q- How do you think you will overcome these
obstacles? |
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A- Well I hope through your website people can
understand my problem with the insurance company and see the way they
are treating me. They are violating my rights through so many other
things this is just a little part of the whole story. |
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Q- Do you have a lawyer? |
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A-Yes, but nothing has changed. |
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Reporter: Well thank you Mulugeta for sharing
your story with us. |
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A- Thank you very much. |
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MULUGETA NEGASH WOULD LIKE TO
THANK ALL THOSE WHO PROVIDED HIM WITH ADVISE AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO SUBMITTED THEIR COMMENTS AND CALLED HIM. |
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Submitted Comments:
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There is nothing Mulugeta can do, that is how the
system is. You cannot fight off the corporations. The corporations are
the primary abusers of law but the government favors them all the
time.
Solomon, Toronto
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| Mulugeta just keep fighting the
bureaucrats at the end the truth will prevail it may take some time
but just don't give up hope and We are all 100 % behind you.
Samuel, Toronto
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I know Mulugeta for over ten years he is
very good person. Right now he is so desperate. He does not walk well,
jump and he lost his memory. He is not the person I know before. He
was a very hard worker and enjoy playing soccer. Insurance companies
are not doing right. They take money for nothing and they do not pay
what you worth after accident. What they are waiting for if some one
get an accident and get disabled they should pay you. Mulugeta is
disabled person. He cannot support himself and hopeless. I do not know
what kind of layer he has, may be the lawyer has under table business
with insurance.
Your policy will go up even though you're not at fault. They deem you
a high risk and adjust your rates accordingly, even though you're
driving correctly.
Insurance companies are a bunch of blood sucking bastards.
We need insurance company to work on justice.
Berhane Owal, Toronto
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Mulugeta may be will try to contact Amnesty
International in Ottawa. This is the amnesty telephone in Ottawa (613)
744-7667. And also contact another community to work together. This is
not only Mulugeta’s problem. It’s everybody problem. If they don’t
solve Mulugeta’s situation today, they will not solve for anyone
tomorrow. Now my question for Mulugeta is who are they, this Insurance
Company? Please tell us your Insurance company’s name.
E.M. Canada
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I am sorry for Mulugeta to go through
this. But what would help is, if you can provide the name of the
insurance company and their contact information so that people can
write to them or call them about your case.
Also it will help us to write to the Media e.g. the CBC to expose what
they are doing.
Remember their first response to any claim is to REJECT. The if you
persist they will give you small then if you keep coming back you get
more..so don't give up hope. That's their policy and you have to keep
coming back.
You will need the support of all us to make it know to the news paper
TV and other media so that the public can send the message out.
Good luck and I hope you feel better soon. Don't give up. You are
really lucky to survive the accident and God is with you.
T.S.
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Dear Mulugeta,
I work at Invitation: quilt of belonging. I just read your story and
found more information about your accident on-line. I know how
emotionally draining it can be to constantly have to fight the system.
If your lawyer is being less than helpful maybe one of the
organizations on the following website might be helpful:
http://www.commonlaw.uottawa.ca/eng/student_
services/career/probono/inf_ind.htm. I hope things get a little
better for you. God bless.
Andrea
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Very sorry Mulugeta try to
contact Upper Canada.
(416) 947 3330
(416) 947 3300
(416) 947 5263
Attention to complaint.Milki, Toronto
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O'Canada!
It is very sad! Mulugeta please contact lawyers association.
1 800 677 2020.Ruth, Ottawa
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Dear Mullugeta,
I know you long before your accident, and I can tell the big physical
and psychological
Changes which has happened in your life. One thing you have to be
aware of, , where ever you go there are good and bad apples. Some
lawyers, if they know you are a minority and a new immigrant, instead
of working for you they work the other way around. Thus, keep your
eyes open and if you are not happy with your lawyer, you need to
contact Law Society of Upper Canada and The Lawyers Association.
Alula, Toronto
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Hi Mulugeta, I know how hard it must be for you.
Your situation and your revelations are very important in exposing the
truth that a lot of people are facing in the system. I would recommend
that you send this story of yours to the other online communities like
www.shabait.com,
www.alenalki.com,
www.waltainfo.com,
www.asmarino.com,
www.allafrica.com,
www.dehai.org
K.B, Canada
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I am deeply sorry about the accident
Mulgeta. This is a very serious issue on what you have mentioned about
those Corrupted Insurance companies. I think your attorney whom ever
is representing you must be weak. He is the one to be blamed for the
cause. In addition to that, you never know your lawyer might be
getting or may have gotten paid from your insurance company. I am
being serious Mulgeta most lawyers do take things for granted. In
conclusion, I suggest you hire another attorney. There is lways an
alternative mechanism. Trust me, changes can make things better.
This is your right and you're obliged by it.
In the end, if things seem to get out of hand there in Canada.
Come to the states and share your story with the so called TV Shows
like Oprah Winfery, Montell William, and The Maury show etc...
Good luck....... |
| Tedros Andemicael, Indianapolis |
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