<\/p>\n
A police officer\u2019s two-year fight for treatment highlights first-responders\u2019 frustrations with workers\u2019 comp.<\/p>\n
Amanda McCoy<\/p>\n
amccoy@star-telegram.com<\/p>\n
More than two years after sustaining injuries during a violent altercation<\/a> with a suspect, Fort Worth police officer Bobbie Sanchez says she\u2019s still fighting to get needed medical care. Now, she questions why the city hasn\u2019t done more to overhaul its workers\u2019 compensation program following a public outcry<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n In January, City Council Member Charles Lauersdorf wrote in a social media post<\/a> that he was \u201cdeclaring war on Sedgwick<\/a>,\u201d the company that manages workers\u2019 compensation claims for Fort Worth employees. Lauersdorf said he\u2019d heard from multiple police officers and firefighters who had difficulty getting treatment approved through Sedgwick for injuries sustained on the job.<\/p>\n Records obtained by the Star-Telegram earlier this year showed that police officers and firefighters were far more likely than employees of other city departments to have injury claims denied<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen a first responder gets hurt doing their job, the system should move heaven and earth to take care of them AND return them to the warrior-athlete they were,\u201d wrote Lauersdorf. \u201cInstead, I\u2019ve heard of delays, denials, runarounds, paperwork games and bureaucratic bull—- that leaves injured firefighters and police officers fighting two battles: one on the job and one at home.\u201d<\/p>\n Following Lauersdorf\u2019s post, the Star-Telegram spoke with firefighters and police officers, including Sanchez, who said they were frustrated with what they described as relentless hoops they had to jump through to get on-the-job injury claims approved.<\/p>\n In July 2024, Sanchez was elbowed in the face when she approached a suspicious person while working a car theft detail. The blow dislocated her jaw and permanently damaged both her temporomandibular joints, which connect the jawbone to the skull.<\/p>\n Because there wasn\u2019t an oral surgeon in the city of Fort Worth\u2019s network of approved health care providers, Sanchez had to find one on her own and pay out of pocket. It took 10 months for her to receive treatment on her jaw, she said, and it required multiple escalations before she was reimbursed for the money she\u2019d outlaid.<\/p>\n A Fort Worth spokesman did not respond to an email requesting comment on Sanchez\u2019s case.<\/p>\n Sanchez said she also sustained injuries to her neck and shoulder during the altercation, which were at first classified as simple strains or sprains. A treating physician prescribed medication and physical therapy, but the pain persisted. Finally, this summer, a new physician ordered MRIs on Sanchez\u2019s upper spine and an electromyography test on her nerves and muscles. The test and imaging revealed bulging and protruding discs and three pinched nerves.<\/p>\n The nerve issue causes Sanchez\u2019s arm to periodically go numb. Once more, physical therapy is the prescribed treatment for the numbness and pain. Sanchez\u2019s physician also ordered steroid injections, but that is pending approval by Sedgwick.<\/p>\n Sanchez did say a third-party nurse case manager contracted by the city has of late been helping her navigate the claims process. Sanchez described the case manager as \u201ca tremendous blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n For the time being, Sanchez is working behind a desk, though she\u2019d rather be out on her old beat as a neighborhood police officer on the city\u2019s north side.<\/p>\n She\u2019d be doing that, she said, if not for delays in receiving proper medical care from the beginning. In some instances, Sanchez said, it\u2019s taken weeks to just get an email response to a question from her Sedgwick claims adjuster.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit like torture the longer they drag this out,\u201d said Sanchez.<\/p>\n Jack Bowen, who lives in the Chisholm Ridge neighborhood that Sanchez used to patrol, said he and his neighbors miss having her in the community.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had some good NPOs, but she\u2019s the first one we\u2019ve had that when someone disrespects our neighborhood, she takes it personally,\u201d said Bowen. \u201cEven though we can refer something to her, and she refers it to another officer, it\u2019s huge not to have that person in the neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n In August 2024, over a month after Sanchez was injured, Bowen spoke at a City Council meeting and urged council members to help Sanchez obtain treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s anybody in the neighborhood, except the bad guys, who don\u2019t like her,\u201d Bowen said recently.<\/p>\n What does the future hold for Sedgwick?<\/p>\n The city signed a five-year contract with Sedgwick in 2020 that allowed for two additional one-year extensions at the city\u2019s discretion. The first of those terms is set to end on Nov. 19.<\/p>\n At a Public Safety Committee meeting in April, Kristen Smith, Fort Worth\u2019s human resources director, said the city would likely solicit proposals from workers\u2019 compensation administrators this calendar year, with a new contract beginning sometime in fiscal year 2027, which starts Oct. 1.<\/p>\n As of Sept. 22, a request for proposal has not been issued. Smith said that was scheduled to happen this fall, but she didn\u2019t provide a specific timeframe or say whether the request would go out before the expiration of Sedgwick\u2019s current contract.<\/p>\n All along, city officials have argued that Sedgwick has done a good job and that workers\u2019 compensation claims have been handled properly. Sedgwick is expected to be allowed to submit a new bid during the request for proposal period, though Lauersdorf previously told the Star-Telegram he would not support them.<\/p>\n Lauersdorf did not respond to a text message and voice message requesting comment for this report.<\/p>\n A representative from Sedgwick said in an emailed statement that the company hopes to continue working with the city.<\/p>\n When asked about police and firefighter complaints regarding delayed responses from Sedgwick employees, the company spokesperson said there was an escalation process in place. Email messages from Sedgwick claims adjusters, for instance, provide a supervisor\u2019s name and contact information. Injured workers can reach out to the supervisor if they aren\u2019t getting a timely answer from their adjuster. But Sanchez said that process hadn\u2019t worked for her.<\/p>\n The Sedgwick spokesperson went on to say the company was looking at other strategies to improve response times.<\/p>\n \u201cOur product is our people, and our goal is to treat every person with respect and address their needs in a timely manner,\u201d the Sedgwick statement read.<\/p>\n When asked about denials, the Sedgwick spokesperson said licensed review physicians are the only people who have the authority to approve or deny treatment prescribed for an injured worker. If a treatment is denied, the reviewing physician is supposed to try and work with the injured employee\u2019s doctor to modify the request or otherwise discuss what\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n That\u2019s how the system is designed to work, but if you ask enough police and firefighters, something is broken.<\/p>\n \u201cSadly, I don\u2019t believe Sedgwick is the main issue,\u201d Sanchez said. \u201cI believe Sedgwick is a symptom of the workers\u2019 comp problem at large. What I want people to hear most is that my horrible experience is not unique.\u201d<\/p>\n Sanchez said Fort Worth police department leaders support finding a solution, but she believes it\u2019s going to take a statewide effort.<\/p>\n A spokesman for the Texas Municipal Police Association<\/a> , which represents law enforcement personnel, said the organization is pushing legislation that will hopefully reduce workers\u2019 compensation treatment delays.<\/p>\n The proposed legislation would, among other things, allow critically injured first responders to receive needed medical care and medical devices immediately after being hurt using their personal insurance as opposed to having to wait for workers\u2019 compensation approval.<\/p>\n The legislation will also seek to force cities and workers\u2019 compensation administrators to be more specific when giving reasons for denying a claim, eliminating generalized denials.<\/p>\n This story was originally published September 29, 2026 at 11:50 AM.<\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790708410_667_Matt_Adams.jpeg\")