Antonio Ruiz: Una buena ganancia para todos

Lying in a pumpkin patch unable to move, farmer Antonio Ruiz learned about the fragility of a worker's body the same way pretty much everyone else does: when he least expected it.

Ruiz slipped and fractured his spine while walking along the edge of an irrigation pond at Joshua Farms near Gold Hill. A stout, strong man, Ruiz suddenly found himself unable to move, nearly helpless, and calling for help from a co-worker.

"What about my family?"

Naturally, Ruiz's first thoughts were about how he would be able to support his family if his injury was as bad as he feared. Toby Cochran, president of Joshua Farms, called Ruiz and assured him that he was covered by the company's workers' compensation policy through SAIF Corporation.

Ruiz had suffered an L1 compression fracture in his spine. The injury required physical therapy and kept him off work two and a half months. Along the way, SAIF's Critical Claims Team helped connect Ruiz with medical providers and monitored his progress. The injury permanently limited Ruiz's lifting ability and restricted his ability to bend or to repetitively use his spine. Ruiz was concerned about being able to return to his job.

"He does everything around here."

Joshua Farms, a small company with a niche in organic produce, wanted Ruiz back. As the produce manager, Ruiz was responsible for all levels of farm operations, including field design, irrigation, seasonal staffing, harvest, and produce sales. He was invaluable.

"My main concern was how we could get Antonio back," Cochran recalls. "He does everything around here; I rely 100 percent on his knowledge and direction."

Then SAIF staff informed Cochran that Ruiz qualified for the Preferred Worker Program (PWP), which provides incentives to help workers with permanent disabilities from on-the-job injuries return to work. SAIF connected them with a vocational consultant who helped them obtain PWP benefits through the State of Oregon Workers' Compensation Division. Medical and physical therapy costs were covered through the farm's policy with SAIF.

"I couldn't imagine a program like this even existed," Cochran says. "And I've never experienced a process as easy as this—everybody was very helpful, knowledgeable, and communicative."

Workers' compensation consultants analyzed the worksite and recommended specific modifications, and the program provided training and equipment worth $24,246 - including a remote-controlled dump trailer, extendable pole saw, log splitter, and lightweight chain saw - that allowed Ruiz to return to his job. Joshua Farms also received a premium exemption and a wage subsidy for 50 percent of Ruiz's first six months' wages.

Ruiz calls the experience "una buena ganancia para todos" - a good gain for everyone. Joshua Farms got back its produce manager, and Ruiz was able to return to the job he loves. Thanks to the assistance he received, he says, he now does his job more easily, quickly, and safely. Ruiz also has more energy, and he's channeling it toward making the farm better.

"Toby and I have a lot of projects we want to do," he explains as he proudly leads a tour of the farm. With return-to-work programs and a supportive employer in his corner, not even a broken back could keep Antonio Ruiz down.