Two things I won't Forget

[Elle]

I am now ready to tell what happened to me after when my husband died 6 months ago.  I want to share this experience because it may help someone else who has a similar experience.

 

My DH was disabled before he died and he was still collecting work disability payments through our employer.  As being employed with the same company, I am very familiar with the company’s benefits.  I know the company dynamics.  There have been several HR persons over the years.  It appears to me that HR is a “secondary” position.  Whoever fills the position was more attuned to the company finances.  That is, the HR person  not only handled benefits, but also was the company accountant.  Get the picture?

 

The scenario I dealt with:  My Company changed employee life insurance companies in the same month my husband died!  It complicated things a lot!  The HR person was not helpful at all in knowing what paperwork needed to be done.  I was denied his life insurance from the new plan.  At first I expected HR to do all the contacting.  But, I soon realized he was useless, and I called both the insurance companies for help.  After several months, I finally was paid life insurance from the old insurance plan, and received spousal benefit from both the new and the old insurance companies.  It was a lot of aggravation- and I felt high and lows not knowing if I would receive any benefits, especially at such an emotional time of losing my husband.  I would have expected it to run smoother.  I learned to not rely on what HR says.  He got many things wrong.  I think of what happens to other spouses do in the same situation? Do they get their rightful spouse’s company’s benefits?  And how many loose out?

 

My second experience was after my DH died in the hospital and the negligence I received by the hospital staff not returning my DH’s personal identification property.  I was given a full run-around.  Some staff actually said the items were given to another family member and accused the funeral home taking them.    You would think a hospital would be more caring.  I reported this to the DMV and the local police.

 

It feels good to get this off my chest now. 

 

[Julester3]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I had a similar issue with my husband's personal belongings. Not the hospital, the organ donor organization, the funeral home nor the county coroners had his things. I wanted his beloved tennis shoes and his glasses and I got neither. I called every place several times. I had to go to the county coroner just to get his wedding band. I was upset then but I'm okay about it now. I hope those items were at least donated someplace when it got misplaced.

[kjs1989]

Yep, I get this. We don't need added complications with our grief.

 

I never received my husband's wedding ring after the boat accident. Multiple contacts with the officials on the scene and also contact with the coroner and funeral home got me  nowhere.  He always had his ring on, but it was gone. So no ring on his finger at the funeral. WTF.

 

I was also initially denied a very large life insurance payout . The denial letter stated it was because it wasn't a "natural" death. My attorney said that was typical, as these companies often hope the bereaved will take the denial at face value and go away. Well, I didn't. He wrote them a terse letter and I got my money.