Very Depressed Need Help

[ron]

:cry: :cry: :( On 5/15/01 I had a bad accident fell off a 8 ft ladder causing compressed fracture to my back,and 7 staples in my head.
my client called my house that evening and asked my wife why the job was not finished,and that they will not pay for the job until it is finished,well my wife explained to them that while my husband was doing your shrubs he had fallen and broke his back.the client said we are sorry but we still need this job completed ASAP or you will not get payed.well since my accident I have been calling alot of my clients and telling them I had a bad accident and will not be able to cut there yards for 8 weeks alot of them said we can wait for Ron and a few wanted there money back because my yard was no cut four time this month.what should I do I have said well when I return I owe you two cuts. but they all said no just give us our money back,,I am soo lost and confused...

[joshua]

just trying to help call some of the guys in your area that you are friends with and ask them to help you out. tell them the situation

[bdemir]

ROn,

Sorry to hear such bad news. My advice would be to Hire a guy to give them your two cuts and then be done with it or get an employee to take care of them for you instead. Otherwise you have to give the money back. Maybe you can run the business from your home while someone does the work on the outside. I hope you get better. Do you have workmans comp?


Bedros :(

[Eric ELM]

Wow, I feel your pain. Been there, done that myself, 2 times. It felt so good, I had to do it twice. Will they have to do back surgery? I had 2 of them, a real bummer. I hope you get well real soon. :)

I would try to find someone to run your route while you are down. Too bad your not closer, I'd give you a hand. Get well soon.

[Lee Homan]

Being a solo operator this is one of my biggest fears. I'm with Eric, if I were closer I would give you a hand.

[curlawngreen]

Sorry to here about your fall. Since the 43 clients paid in advance, you just pay someone else to do the lawns. All clients want is the grass mowed.

[TJLC]

I was trimming tall hedges the other day on a step ladder and ALMOST fell when I lost my balance. I did drop my trimmer, but better the trimmer than me. I am with the others here, and truly, truly feel for you. I agree, that you need to find someone to help you out. You need to rest and let your body heal. I wish you a quick recovery and the best of luck!

[eslawns]

If you've called and explained what happened, I'd say give them a credit for future cuts, but I wouldn't return the money. If you've treated them well, most will probably be happy to have you back. If you get a court document from one of them, send a check.

[kris]

man I feel for you...do you have anyone...friend, brother,co-worker(you said you worked somewhere else also?) that could bluff there way and do your cutting for you? ..hang in there.. remember health and family are the most important thing, take it easy and recover.

[Craig Turf Management]

You have got to get help. Can you sub out the work? We all stand the chance of taking a tumble and being incapacitated for a while. Approach several lco in your area, and plead your case. Let them know that you will be glad to help them out if they're ever in a fix.

We all need to think about contigiency plans in the event we are unable to meet our obligations for whatever reason.
Good luck, and don't give up. Bill Craig

[Atlantic Lawn]

Have you considered calling a temp agency to see if they can help with your labor problem? Just a thought. Hope your back on your feet soon.

[HOMER]

I hate to sound this way but here goes.............you fell on this a-holes property didn't you? Is there any legal recourse you can take for being injured there. I just have a problem with the guy being so insencitive about the whole deal. Seems to me he could be a little more understanding.

[MOW ED]

I'm with Homer. If it is possible to get some renumeration because of an unsafe condition on the owners property then go after their insurance. Not necessarly as a revenge tactic, but as a way to help you and your family out while you are laid up.
My homeowners insurance covers this kind of thing but each policy has different limits.
It sounds like you have some decent customers and a couple that really don't care about you.
I would try and contract your route to a few different companies just to keep your customer base intact as was stated above.
Good Luck, stay positive. These things are big at the moment but in Gods grand scheme of things its just a little bump in the road. Get well.

[oneEXMARKfan]

"If it is possible to get some renumeration because of an unsafe condition on the owners property then go after their insurance" (remind me to keep big fluffy pillows all over my yard. for peoples future mishaps...........)

[morturf]

Your situation is one we as solos all dread. I am always fearful of this.

I really doubt that you could recoupe anything from this guys insurance. The problem is you are in a business that this is part of the risk and why you should have insurance.
Hope you can find somebody to help you out...If I was close I would try.

[cutntrim]

You'll have to sub your lawns to another company while you're out of commision. Since you've got a number of lawns you'll need to get more than one LCO to help out. Doubt if any one company can take on ALL of your lawns for a few weeks.

Situations like yours remind me of one of the best advantages of being in an equal partnership. If one guy is injured the other can carry on with help of employees.

[jeffyr]

I feel for you Ron. I agree with some of the others--hire someone or sub out the work. This way when you are back and running, you will pickup as if nothing ever happened. Last year a friend of mine broke some ribs just before shrub trimming (OUCH!). He had help, but still worked wrapped up.

Take it easy and get well--don't be stupid and rush back only to make it worse.

PS--here is what I did on the ice this past January when I spassed and fell in my driveway.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1348067&a=12909859&p=48915205&Sequence=0&res=high

I still feel it.

jeffyr:eek:

[Grapevine]

Roughly 10-11 years ago I was pruning high up on a ladder, got stung by a bee and fell backwards. But before I really got falling I got both hands behind myself and managed to take the top of my right index finger off with the hedge trimmer. I found the tip and with 25 stitches I still have it, buts it's got no feeling. Anyway after that I purchased disability insurance and have had it ever since. I've never had to use it but it's there if I need to. I pay a little over a
thousand a year for it, anybody got any different quotes on that.

[Grateful11]

I'd do what Steve said and call a temp agent. They may have just the right person for you. A friend of mine uses one on big landscape jobs and gets people for $12/hr. He said he usually get one guy in particular that does excellent work. He tried to hire him full-time but the guy like being a temp.

[cutntrim]

Jeffyr:

Did the same thing skiing in the moguls a couple years back. Anterior dislocation with repeated subluxations ever since. Had the shoulder "scoped" this winter. Damn thing popped out on me again...skiing in the moguls. Go figure. PITA!

[jeffyr]

Originally posted by cutntrim
Jeffyr:

Did the same thing skiing in the moguls a couple years back. Anterior dislocation with repeated subluxations ever since. Had the shoulder "scoped" this winter. Damn thing popped out on me again...skiing in the moguls. Go figure. PITA!

My friend is up to 6 times out. Last time he was on a subway car and it jerked out when he was holding on. He also has had the ski patrol sled him down the mountain once. he puts it back in himself now--hope mine doesn't get that bad.

jeffyr

[smburgess]

Ron...

Sorry to hear about your fall. Your one avenue of recourse is to call a lawyer, IF you don't carry business liabilty insurance you can go off of you CLIENTS homeowners insurance policy for your medical bills and MAYBE your missed work also. I know it sounds strange, but true. YOU became her employee, not a contractor, IF you don't carry your own business liability insurance. At least that's what happened to my dad a few years back with a roofer.

[General Grounds]

:blob3: Ron, hope all is well, as for those inconsiderate bastards who could give a rats ass about you, and gave you greif i would give them their money back and replace them. if the shoe was on the other foot and they had a problem and could pay the would have expected you to sit w/ your hands on your ass until they were ready to pay, and for you to be happy. tony

[CMerLand]

Ron,

Sorry to hear about your injury and hope you can recover quickly and get back to work. Please understand that this note is not a personal attack upon you in any way.

However, I think I will print out a copy of the replys on here particularly highlighting the ones suggesting you go after the homeowners insurance to cover your accident. Will sure make it much easier to explain to potential clients why my prices are much higher then the one-man show who carries no insurances, liability, workers comp., disablity or health insurance. I think after reading how some of these guys then think they have the option to sue the homeowner for an injury caused of their own accord, I'll be able to close more sales in record time.

Once these homeowners see the thought processes of some of these actual LCOs I think they'll be requiring proof of insurance before they ever let another contractor on their porch, let alone to work on their yard.

Best of luck and gods speed,

CMerLand

[oneEXMARKfan]

As a homeowner I would............in this sue-happy world! *Maybe it's time for a new pole [for those not too paranoid] to see how many would sue the homeowner after he has an accident..

[Craig Turf Management]

There is NO way that I would sue my client because I took a nasty fall and was out of commision. Was your client negligent? Doesn't sound that way. You should have your own insurance to cover medical expenses, and some short term disability coverage to pay at least part of the bills while you are unable to work. I've said before that we should make plans in advance for these kinds of circumstances. Find someone to take care of business until you are back on your feet, and return thr favor someday. Your client may seem a bit insensetive, but I don't pay for work that isn't completed. Do you?

Good luck recovering from your accident. Take care, Bill Craig:(

[lawrence stone]

Frankly it's guys like Ron that are the scourge of this industry.
He has a full time govt. job but still has to go out and compete with
us totally self employed qualified, licensed and insured contractors.

These part time guys drive the local prices down for they can break even on the lawn care end for they have working for wages income.

They let the customers dictate terms instead of selling a full service lawn and landcape maint. package that includes all the needed turfgrass cultural practices and pesticide applications.

He is lucky to have a govt. job to go back to after he heals. If he worked in private industry and I was his employeer I would fire him
ASAP it he got hurt on his "hobby" job outside the scope of my business.

Please don't take these comments personally Ron but someone has to tell it like it is in the real world not this make believe politically correct cyber world.

[slingshot]

Well said MR STONE

[RMDoyon]

Well said Stone.

I also question the wisdom of trimming a 12 ft. high shrubbery while standing on an 8 ft. high ladder (detail from separate post).

[ron]

WELL STONE JUST TO CLUE YOU IN MY WORLD..
working for the state as a correctional officer does not put much food on my familys plates so I had to go into something that I love which was land maintance.. yes I been doing lawncare for 2 seasons I am licensed and of course insured for liabality only 300,000.00 dollars which was my first mistake shoould have had workman comp with it.oh well as for the client where I fell and had the accident well they did pay me for the job and also gave me a nice get well card. I did tell all my clients that since this accident I will be out for 8 weeks they all said we will do it ourselves or hire someone temp until you come back..... So I quess that since my two seasons working as a LCO did me well and all my 43 clients really loved the way I could handle them plus work full time with the state..

[ron]

and for mr rmdoy:alien: hey sorry for the typo error the shrubs were 8 ft high not 12ft ok gee stabb me with a spoon why don't ya:blob3:
and for the client for whom I was injured at I otold him when after 8 weeks are up I will finish the last ft. of shrubbery when back on my feet. I would like to think all the LCOs for there concern for me we are all one big green lovin family. LCO'S KEEP AMERICA LOOKING BEAUTIFUL:angel:

[mowin at the lake]

Ron I feel for you

Last Thursday night i was unloading the truck and getting ready for fridays mowings when i jumped out of the back of my truck and broke my left ankle in three places....(one plate & 7 screws)

A few of my fellow lawn care friends have volunteered to help out.

Out of 140 accounts we only lost 4 because they want "me" to be there when the work is being done..

[jeffyr]

Landscapers are the clumsiest peoples. (excluding a few , of course, who will deny anything).[I]

[ron]

hey everyone has there ups and downs and we all learn from our own mistakes me well I need to find a better insurance company for my small business does anyone know of any good ones I will be looking very soon I am counting the days 6 half weeks to go. can't wait to get back oout there....