Report: Would-Be Chicago Cop Collects $500k in Disability for Last 15 Yrs After Jogging Injury on Day 10 of Training
- Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:12pm by
Erica Ritz
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(Photo: Getty Images)
The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Donald E. Barnes Jr. has collected roughly $500,000 in tax-free disability payments over the past fifteen years, after sustaining an injury during a “slow jog” at the Chicago Police training academy.
He had been in training for a mere ten days when the injury occurred, according to the report, and never actually served a day as a police officer.
(Related: Chicago Thieves Allegedly Batter Through Wall to Steal $230K in Hair Extensions)
The report relates that then-30-year-old Barnes had accomplished five blocks of the three-mile jog when he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with heat stroke and placed in intensive care due to kidney and liver failure.
The Sun-Times continues:
After Barnes used up his allotted year of sick leave, the city’s police pension board placed him on duty disability, citing lingering effects from heat stroke.
He is also entitled to free health insurance for his wife and their two kids, who were born after he went on disability leave.
Barnes, who uses a brace on his left foot and walks with a “slight limp,” according to pension records, collects his monthly disability checks even while working a second job.
But that’s not the most shocking aspect of the story.
The Sun-Times explains that Barnes stands to double his “earnings” from the city:
Despite not making it through two weeks at the academy, Barnes stands to collect a total of at least $1.2 million from the city’s police pension fund.
He can keep collecting his annual disability payment — which now stands at $46,343 and which will increase as the salary for an entry-level patrolman goes up — until he reaches mandatory retirement at age 63.
Then, he can retire with a full police pension — based on all of his years as a disabled officer. [Emphasis added]
(Photo via the Chicago Sun-Times)
Barnes is currently working as a regional manager for Standard Parking, and reportedly even had a profile of himself on LinkedIn.
In a sworn statement Barnes filed with the pension board in 1998, he wrote: “Our class was instructed, as part of a physical training exercise, to leave the academy for a running exercise. During this exercise, I suffered heat stroke, causing kidney and liver failure. This resulted in rhabdomyolysis, causing me to be disabled.”
A pension fund doctor reported in 2010 that Barnes had indeed undergone surgery and outpatient rehabilitation after the initial injury, but has had no other treatment or follow-up, the Chicago Sun-Times relates.
A blogger for the Chicago Daily Observer re-posted part of the report with the comment: “Just a reminder [for] when Chicago asks for a federal bailout as they approach bankruptcy.”
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Comments (62)
GIRTHMAN
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:28pmIt all good !! There is plenty of money in the pension fund to go around !!!
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:22pmSonuva…………I have been working for 8 years while I am technically disabled (42% two years ago, probably higher now) I wish I could get 500 grand. I have considered retiring on disability, but then I am not sure my family gets insurance, then. How do these people scam the system like this, when I have to scatch and argue just to try to see a neurologist.
Report Post »Ohio‘s Worker’s Comp sucks big time, especially in the southwest area. I was knocked out for 4 days, but still talking (called retograde amnesia) and no one from the hospital even did a brain scan. Hell, they missed a broken wrist, so now that has healed a little crooked. It was UPS’s fault, too. If the temporary driver had been watching where he was going, instead of trying to pick up his clipboard off the floor, I would be ok. Now, I am crippled for life, both arms were broken, left arm had bones coming out of the skin (I was told), broken back, crushed ankle, broken ribs, eye socket, facebone, ruptured spleen. They had to cut me out and air care me to the hospital. I am living paycheck to paycheck, and this guy is on easy street. These are the people that give the legitimately injured people a bad rep, just like the druggies make it harder for me to get pain meds. Bastards!
Stoic one
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:12pmdid this happen @ the Canal st dist center?
Ohio comp is certainly minimal. Unlike public sector bennies……
Report Post »Lt_Scrounge
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 11:17pmI would say that you had a good case for a lawsuit against UPS that would’ve paid you enough for a decent annuity that would at least make ends meet.
The big difference is that you didn’t have a bunch of corrupt union bosses and politicians covering your back.
Report Post »jungle J
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:14pmhe’s a Chicagoan..
Report Post »paperpushermj
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:10pmOMG:
Report Post »$500,000 divided by 15 years = $33,333. TAX FREE per year
F_This
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:35pmAnd is perfectly capable of having sex, raising children, and working a second job. What a country huh?
Report Post »HumbleCitizen
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:09pmI know a few more stories that fit along those lines of taking advantage of the system. I think ordinary people need to start exposing these takers for what they are…thieves (from our wallets).
Report Post »cassandra
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:04pmand the unions can’t seem to understand that We The People have had ENOUGH of this BS while the cities go broke and keep raising taxes so WE have to pay for all these pension jackazzes
Report Post »silentwatcher
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 11:04pmyea, but not enough people have had enough of it to vote the system right. Look at the Wisconsin Governor who was elected. He quickly made some changes, p*ssed off a few special interest groups, but balanced the Wisconsin budget. Then still faced a recall vote. While I’m glad he remained Governor, they still obtained enough signatures for the recall vote. Chicago? Naw. San Fran? Naw. Detroit? Naw. Los Angeles? Naw. There are not enough voters out there that give a sh*t or are educated enough who listen to the lies of the POTUS,,,and certain news groups. No, there will be no change. We’re doomed.
Report Post »dontlookbehindthecurtain
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:37pmSound like there is more behind this story then heat stroke, when something happens like this always look behind the curtain, maybe all night drinking party the night before. I am just saying there is always a reason for the cause.
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:23pmIf the guy has another job somewhere else, that PROVES that he can work, and he should be removed from any disability payments immediately… Disability is for people who CANNOT work… Not for people that can not work in their “desired” field…
I wanted to be an Navy Fighter Pilot, but my eyesight is not good enough… So does that mean I should be getting disability payments from the US Navy??? NO…
If he is working, he doesn’t deserve disability… Save that for people who ARE DISABLED!!!
Report Post »Angel_light
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:28pmwell said ONIKAZE
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:39pmUnless you were a navy pilot, and the navy had you do something that screwed up your eyesight to the point you couldn’t be a pilot anymore. In that case I think the government should pick up some of the difference in what you would make as a fully sited pilot, and what ever you can make with your limited vision.
Report Post »hayesstephen
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:15pmI have been handicapped all my life. I worked all my life and was never accorded any special treatment my by employers. The other day as I was checking out at the grocery store the clerk wanted t know if I wanted to contribute my change for a handicap charity. I politely declined, I told her that I have been handicapped all my life and NO ONE, NO ONE ever came over to me and offered help, and certainly not money. I don‘t know where the money goes but it sure doesn’t get to the gimps.
Report Post »ChuckJ
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 5:51pmBut that makes sense. So its a bad idea.
Report Post »perry1980
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:22pmthis will be our entire country if we get 4 more Years of Barry
Report Post »lfoa
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:20pmSolution #1: Offer him a “Desk Job”
Report Post »Solution #2: Offer to “make up the difference” if he can’t find work up to the level of Police Pay
Solution #3: Take it out of Rahm’s paycheck
Solution #4: Let Chicago fail… and begin again.
The Gooch
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:09pmOkay, it sounds like this guy experienced a life-threatening and life-altering medical emergency during the course of training. It shouldn’t really matter how many days he was into it. You can’t really “fake” a heat stroke or liver failure. So here’s a dude trying to be part of the machine and he is broken in the process. I‘d say this guy is more deserving than a helluva lot of the bums and junkies I’ve had the misfortune of meeting on Social Security Disability.
Report Post »I’m I supposed to be angry because someone at least tried and now his brothers are taking care of him? Wow. There are people far more deserving of our scorn than this guy. This is a lame “GOTCHYA!” attempt. I suppose it was too tempting not to take a swipe at Chicago.
shammo
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:17pmWhy should my grandkids pay for this bum.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:45pmWhy should anyone pay for any bum? I‘m not saying this is a good and proper display of what should or shouldn’t happen. I do know lots of so-called conservatives who are on the dole and yet they p!ss and moan when someone else receives more ducats than them.
Report Post »I‘m saying you can’t really fake what this man experienced. Heat stroke can kill you. Liver failure can kill you. Does he deserve to have hundreds of thousands of dollars thrown at him? No more or less than some who “have it in the back”, or the damn fatties and drunks I know on disability. Funny how many of them can still hunt and fish. Go figure.
Isn’t this the beef many have with health care? “I deserve it for free. But not those other bastards!!!”
Pick your BS “disability” diagnosis and I can find you a loud-mouthed “conservative” who presents with that particular woe and needs his share of gubment money.
Was this a “line of duty” ill? Was he not far enough in to satisfy folks?
If I ever become king of the world, you’re all gonna get the same crappy health coverage. Problem solved. Shut up and take your aspirin. No bandage for you!!!
paperpushermj
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:14pmWell said for some talking about spending someone else’s money.
Report Post »Kisses6350
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 9:47amThis guy never served a day as a law enforcement officer. He was injured during training. You can not fake heatstroke, but the kidney and liver function failure is suspect. It just seems a little odd. I used to work for Fed Workers Comp, and I must admitt, this is one claim that i could not justify for so many years. Obviously, this man is abke to work, as evidenced with his other job. He should not still be on workers comp rolls.
Report Post »Navyguy62
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:05pmIn Sept of 1988 I became a disabled veteran while attempting to keep two of my platoon mates from being crushed by a falling piece of equipment. I managed to get them out of the way but failed to get clear myself. My leg was crushed and I have walked with a limp and constant pain ever since. I had 10 years of service in when I was injured and for that I recieved a total of $10K. I recieve no disability from the military or the VA (as I was not injured enough for them/ I only had 18 months of physical therapy) and only recently was I informed that my appeal was heard and after I ‘pay back’ my severence pay I will recieve a whopping $100/month for my disability (sometime in the year 2018). I do recieve my pain medicine from the VA but they in turn bill my insurance for the costs.
I guess I should have become a Chicago police officer instead of going to serve my country…
lfoa
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:16pmThank you NAVY GUY!
Report Post »Oldphoto678
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:28pmOr maybe you should be happy that you’re not all that disabled.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:22pmNavyguy62………..Thank you for you service and you courage in saving your friends.
Oldguy……………. Maybe you should have to walk in the shoes of a legitimately disabled person for a while, then maybe you would not be so glib and offensive.
Report Post »kynikos
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 11:15pmThis story is absolute BS. I used to work for the VA and guys that were in less then 4 months were getting 50 to 100% service connection ratings for various bs reasons. The VA rating scheduler is incredibly liberal, so bad to the point the IG has tried to fix it. They can’t though due to vet service groups and veterans. Veterans are sacred cows that Beck won’t even address. Free healthcare, subsidized housing, free education, military retirement, voc rehab, va pension different then mil ret, va home loan, and the biggest farce va compensation. Who’s the real welfare kings in this country. No thank you for your service. Because service members like yourself and others is what is bankrupting this country. Thanking you only emboldens their welfare mentality and legitimalizes their entitlement. Even guys with tinnitus which doctors can’t prove get a easy 10%. I left because of the fraud and waste and god forbid I say anything about my fellow veterans exploiting the system. You aren’t a combat veteran you knew what you were getting into when you signed the contract. If the events of your story are true and a doctor can substantiate your disability you get a higher rating like you want. Maybe you can even get a high enough rating not to pay property taxes. That should give you more time to complain about the parasites in this country. No thank you for the service and the only thing that is going to change all this is default. Will somebody at the Blaze please do a story on VA
Report Post »kynikos
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 11:27pmYou even get 50-100 percent for general anxiety disorder and PTSD and you dont even ever have to make it out of basic for that. For all of you that’s 2 -3 grad a month tax free. Next they apply for SS and that gives them a little over 4 grand a month tax free. Plus you don’t have to pay property taxes. Don’t worry, vets groups like the VFW and american legion are in on the scam. If you don’t get it they load you into a van to see their specialized psychiatrist. But these guys are beyond ridicule and once they die their spouses receive 1,400 a month just for being married to a veteran and get free VA healthcare too. Everybody needs to face it and realize this is pretty much a parasitic nation. Our high esteemed public trust servants cops, firefighters, and the military are the worse. I’ve served in all these positions and am glad to be away from the fraud. It kills a piece of your soul everyday. BLAZE readers you don’t owe the military, firefighters, and police anything. The few good ones do it for a higher calling. These days though there arent many good ones left
Report Post »Coded-Dude
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:04pmPublic Pensions….move along people, nothing to see here.
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:04pmThis is probably the kind of possible scam that legal’s and illegals will probably try in Obamacare and if it ends up as a one payer system the taxpayers will be paying for their possible lifetime benefits. This is another reason not too vote for Obama but for someone that wants to abolish Obamacare(less).
Report Post »toiletclogga
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:52pmI apologize to those folks who are on Social Security disability for sound valid reasons, but I believe it is now time to reevaluate all those who currently collect a paycheck to determine if there is a valid reason why they cannot work. These social programs are important, however, they are largely inefficient, and rife with fraud. The government should be regulating these programs more than the private sector businesses.
Report Post »AIDANMAN
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:41pmso he make more than most people with full time jobs, while disabled, Has a second job… that he has no problem doing ..AND they are going to give him more….
YEAP… totally fair… and why do i go to work to pay for these peole agian..
Report Post »JRook
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:53pmNo coincidence that you chose Chicago Erica is there? I am reminded of a golden parachute of $27 million that a CEO for ATT received after 18 months of poor performance. Since the $27 million was tax deductible by the company it was covered by both BOTH the investors, through lower dividend and the taxpayers. No doubt the compensation was paid in a manner which lowered the tax liability to the CEO. If your gonna point out unjustified payments such as this, do some work and put them in context.
Report Post »travis
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:15pmJROOK, she chose chicago because that‘s where this guy is who’s gaming the system. as far as your CEO is concerned, i’m not familiar with the story, but corruption is bad wherever it is, public or private. i like your observation that the $27 million was tax deductible. i‘m glad to see you’re a conservative and are for more of a simplified tax code.
Report Post »we all agree that coruption and thievery is bad. we must see past our teams colors and find a reasonable solution rather than simply pointing fingers.
MrSunshine
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:41pmEvery time you want to blame your insurance agent when your premiums go up, think about this douche and the thousands like him who are scamming us all into the poor house!
Big Insurance my left nut….it’s BIG FRAUD where greed lives!
Report Post »greg4fitness
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:36pmmust have been the hottest day ever to get heat stroke after slowly jogging 5 blocks in Chicago. Just goes to show you… if you enable, people will always be dependent.
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:19pmAgreed… What a wuss…. I live in Indianapolis (same weather as Chicago) and even on the hottest days (around 105 degrees F) only an old, or severely De-hydrated person would fall to heat-stroke…
Sounds like this guy had liver and Kidney issues (most likely from drinking heavily) and then wasn’t drinking water like he should, then attempted to workout..
Sounds like this is all his fault.. So WHY is ANYONE paying this loser for a dis-ability that he doesn’t have / caused himself…??
Thats like cutting your own foot off, and then filing for disability since your foot is missing… Sure it happens, but it shouldn’t be allowed to…
Report Post »Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:33pmI don’t understand at all how he could raise his body temperature enough in 5 blocks to cause that kind of damage. It sounds like a scam to me.
Report Post »Petoria
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:29pmThis type of crap makes me puke…I can’t stand people who milk the system. I have a bigger problem with a system being broken to the point that allows this to happen. Disability my @$$…have some self respect!
Report Post »Dde13
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:29pmWTH….you can’t make this stuff up!!!!!
Report Post »Obummers union buddies…..vision of obummernomics….
This guy must have been one out of shape dude….5 blocks??????
booger71
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:28pmTip of an iceberg. Check out large urban area firemen, who work 1 out of every 3 days, and have lucrative businesses on the side.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:51pmBooger71 , you are so correct, all the firemen I know own businesses,and even when they do work, it’s mostly sitting around playin cards…….sorry but it’s true…..
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:14pmHere’s another one,”How is it possible that (Agriculture) Secretary (Tom) Vilsack can identify 94,000 ‘victims’ of USDA discrimination against black farmers from a total universe of only 18,000 black farmers?” King asked on Friday. Government programs are draining this country and the hogs at the trough are fat and happy while us serfs continue to feed the pigs.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:25pmAnd why is this nation broke again ??? Handouts and lawyers………we all pay for it……
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:21pmHe made it 5 blocks before he collapsed? Sounds like officer of the year to me.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:06pmI bet if they told him they were racing to a doughnut shop he would have made it in record time.
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:27pmThey were jogging back the Police Station after eating at the doughnut shop.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:21pmIt’s getting really hard to stay on the side of the police these days. I’m tired of the police state. Sick of their unions and FOP. Their steroid induced rages against the citizenry and their desire to take away our 2nd amendment. (Ever known one who thinks that “guns on the street” isn’t a problem?) I’m trying to keep things in perspective, but they’re making it VERY difficult.
Report Post »korbin
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:09pmI agree, I have never had a good experience with the police, I had DOD clearance, own handguns in California which means clean record and a CCW from Florida, I don’t even have a traffic ticket, worked for same company for years raised two kids both have Ba degrees and now have a new baby. Most are ignorant of the oath they took because most people do not understand or have never looked at or read the US Constitution. They all need to reassess there oaths and be oath keepers NOT OATH BREAKERS. oathkeepers,org
Report Post »Lt_Scrounge
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 11:28pmUntil I moved to Texas, I never had an issue with police. I have been pulled over more times in the last 3 years than in the previous 15 years combined. I have even had a Texas Sheriff’s deputy tail gate me at midnight on a dark twisting country road. He then pulled me over for drifting across the yellow line trying to get some separation in case I had to stop suddenly. He didn’t ticket me when I mentioned that I was trying to get away from a tail gater. If I had known that it was a sheriff’s deputy tail gating me, I might have slammed on my brakes and claim I had seen a deer. My SUV doesn’t have ABS brakes, so I would’ve ended up with a Chevy Trailblazer buried under the lifted back end. That would‘ve been REALLY funny to watch him to explain to his boss considering that he was tail gating me in front of the Sheriff’s house.
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