Accidents Happen
S.C. Anderson
PO Box 4321
Minnetonka, MN 98765
Superior
Health Insurance
ATTN: Claims Review
PO Box 6789
New York, NY
12345
Dear Sir,
I'm writing in response to your request for
additional information. In block #3 of the accident report form I put "Trying to
do the job alone" as the cause of the accident. In your letter you said that I
should explain more fully and I trust that the following details should be
sufficient.
I'm a bricklayer by trade. On the date of the accident I was
working alone on the roof of a new 3 story building. When I completed my work I
discovered I had about 300 pounds of brick left over. Rather than carry the
bricks down by hand I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley that
was attached to the side of the building at the 3rd floor. Securing the rope at
ground level I went to to the roof swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks
into it. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope while holding it
tightly to insure a slow descent of the three hundred pounds of bricks.
You
will note in block #2 of the accident report form that I stated I weighed 165
pounds. Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly I lost my
presence of mind and did not let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at
a rather rapid rate up the side of the building. In the middle of the second
floor I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull and broken
collar bone.
Slowed down only slightly by the barrel I continued my rapid
ascent, not stopping until my right hand was two knuckles deep into the pulley.
Fortunately, I retained conciseness and was able to hold tightly to the rope in
spite of my pain and injuries.
At approximately the same time, however, the
barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom of the barrel broke out. Devoid
of the weight of the bricks the barrel weighed approximately 50 pounds. I refer
you again to my weight in box #2. As you might imagine, I began a rather rapid
descent down the side of the building. In the middle of the second floor, I
again met the barrel coming up. This accounts for my two fractured ankles and
lacerations of my legs and lower body. This encounter with the barrel slowed me
enough to lessen injuries when I fell onto the pile of bricks. Fortunately only
three vertebrate were cracked.
I'm sorry to report however as I lay there on
the bricks, in pain, unable to stand or move, I lost my presence of mind and let
go of the rope. The empty barrel, weighing more than the rope, came back down
and broke both of my legs.
I hope I furnished the information that you need
to complete the processing of my claim and that you understand how the accident
occurred by trying to do the job alone.
Sincerely,
S. Anderson