FORT WORTH (1080 KRLD) - A Fort Worth police officer injured on the job three years ago is fighting with the city for worker's compensation benefits.
In 2016, Kellie Whitehead, who has been on the force for more than 20 years, was seriously injured when her patrol car was rear-ended by a pickup truck.
"Whenever I was hit, it just kind of pushed my spine inwards," Whitehead said in an interview with KRLD news partner, NBC-5.
"The impact was so hard that when she came to, she thought that she had been shot," says Whitehead's attorney, James Wood.
Wood says in 2018, Whitehead's doctor had recommended spinal fusion surgery; but the city's workers' compensation contractor, York Risk Services Group, denied that request, only allowing her to undergo a lesser procedure.
"A less invasive and less expensive procedure that ultimately didn't fix the problem," Wood says.
York finally approved the fusion procedure this June, and Whitehead underwent that surgery in early July.
While recovery expected to take at least a year, the timing is leaving Whitehead scrambling with how to make ends meet financially.
"The delays from the city of Fort Worth and York ... have caused the situation to where now she's finally had the surgery that she was prescribed, but she's done it outside of the window for her to have work comp leave benefits," says Wood.
Whitehead says had the city approved the fusion surgery the first time, all of this would have been avoided.
"This should have been fixed years ago, and I should have been back out on the streets," says Whitehead. "It does make me mad at this city. I don't know what I've done to deserve it. I feel like I was thrown away."
The City of Fort Worth has issued a statement in response to Whitehead's situation.
"The surgery was denied because her physician did not supply the needed documentation," the statement reads in part. "If this had been provided, the surgery would have probably been approved. At that point, she and her physician decided to proceed with the portion of the surgery that was approved.
The Fort Worth City Council has denied any further extension of full pay worker's compensation pay for Whitehead.
"Mr. Wood hasn't appeared as her attorney before the Worker's Compensation board and has not sought a benefit review at that agency where he could get a hearing," the city says. "Mr. Wood has told City staff that he doesn't have a legal complaint here, he just wants to 'try this in the court of public opinion.'"
