British family's appeal to get Morpeth teacher home from Thailand after she fell 20ft when balcony collapsed

[webfact]

Jill Dodds sustained serious spinal injuries after she fell 20ft from a balcony

 

Jill Dodds, from Morpeth, fell 20ft from a balcony that collapsed in Thailand- and now her family is trying to raise

 

By Sophie Finnegan, Durham Reporter

 

A family is appealing for help to get a Northumberland teacher back home after she plunged 20 feet when a balcony collapsed in Thailand.

 

Jill Dodds, who is originally from Morpeth but has been living in Thailand for around six years, was enjoying an end-of-term party when she decided to take a picture on a balcony on December 18.

 

The 47-year-old lent on the fence which gave way and plunged 20 feet, sustaining serious spinal injuries. Another person involved in the incident sustained a broken collar bone.

 

One of Jill's vertebrae was crushed while another was fractured leaving her with no movement in her legs and no use of her hands and fingers, meaning she needs full-time care.

 

Full story: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/familys-appeal-morpeth-teacher-home-22589565

 

-- © Copyright Chronicle Live 2021-12-29

 

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[jacko45k]

A tragic story.

Who was the owner of the balcony and fence that broke?

[mikebell]

Amazing how you can get sued for stating a negative but true opinion here yet owners of obviously flawed buildings with poor maintenance get a free pass.

[Chelseafan]

27 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

A tragic story.

Who was the owner of the balcony and fence that broke?

We will never know.... 

[Hamus Yaigh]

13 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Amazing how you can get sued for stating a negative but true opinion here

That's because opinions are only true by those that hold them and how does it help matters? How about more statements on getting the teacher home in her unfortunate situation. She seems like she needs help.

[smedly]

from what I read she needs to just wait at home for  few weeks until she is strong enough to travel, at that time I see no reason why she cannot get on a plane with a relative to accompany her - a business class seat will likely help with this, she will not be the only person to have ever travelled on a plane without full mobility  

 

Hope she recovers fully over time 

[MaiDong]

It's no help to this poor lady, but whenever I'm in an elevated position and relying on handrails or balustrades, I either give them a kick or a palm to check their sturdiness, I don't trust any structures at all here. 

[MRToMRT]

Poor lady. Had some insurance as well. 

[Dmaxdan]

21 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Amazing how you can get sued for stating a negative but true opinion here yet owners of obviously flawed buildings with poor maintenance get a free pass.

It's because being accountable and excepting responsibility for something that you personally own and maintain are extremely rare here. 

When accidents happen, it is always someone else's fault.

[4MyEgo]

Time and time again, I keep saying people living here, especially those who qualify age wise, should seriously have private health cover with repatriation which is usually in the policy.

 

"Katie said Jill's health insurance covered a trip in the ambulance and her stay in ICU at a private hospital. But her coverage has now been used up and she has been moved to a government hospital.

She said: "At the moment she is in a Thai government hospital, she's been there about a week.

"She had an operation where metal rods were inserted to take some of the pressure off her nerves.

"They don't know about long-term damage at the moment. We were initially told it would take two years before she would be walking again but we just don't know."

 

At 47 one would doubt that private health insurance with repatriation being part of the policy would be that expensive, now the family is left with this big financial burden to clean up which could have been avoided.

 

I wish her a speedy recovery and hope others listen up as we don't know what tomorrow brings, in Jill's case a lot to deal with without the backing of a private health insurer because she didn't have the right policy.

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by 4MyEgo

[Sheryl]

8 minutes ago, smedly said:

from what I read she needs to just wait at home for  few weeks until she is strong enough to travel, at that time I see no reason why she cannot get on a plane with a relative to accompany her - a business class seat will likely help with this, she will not be the only person to have ever travelled on a plane without full mobility  

 

Hope she recovers fully over time 

I don't know where you got that? From the link it sounds like she is presently quadriplegic  and it may take up to 2 years to regain function if in fact she does at all.

 

Also per the link she is currently in a government hospital, alone (or at least, without family) , and unable to move her arms and legs, a very bad situation to be in and one that frankly puts her at high risk for bedsores and other complications, given staffing levels at government hospitals.

 

Do you have a different link/source?

 

To travel in this condition would have to be business class with seats removed and with an attendant which airline might insist be a medical person. It can be done but it is very costly.

 

As she was teaching, likely did not have Social Security but rather  one of those really low value private school insurance policies which invariably max out within a few days or even less in case of serious accident.  Many foreign teachers simply assume the insurance their school provides will be adequate and by the time they learn otherwise it is too late. Seen many just cases, some really tragic (I recall one a few years ago where the school provided private policy max was reached in just 24 hours). 

[smedly]

8 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I don't know where you got that? From the link it sounds like she is presently quadriplegic  and it may take up to 2 years to regain function if in fact she does at all.

 

Also per the link she is currently in a government hospital, alone (or at least, without family) , and unable to move her arms and legs, a very bad situation to be in and one that frankly puts her at high risk for bedsores and other complications, given staffing levels at government hospitals.

 

Do you have a different link/source?

 

To travel in this condition would have to be business class with seats removed and with an attendant which airline might insist be a medical person. It can be done but it is very costly.

 

As she was teaching, likely did not have Social Security but rather  one of those really low value private school insurance policies which invariably max out within a few days or even less in case of serious accident.  Many foreign teachers simply assume the insurance their school provides will be adequate and by the time they learn otherwise it is too late. Seen many just cases, some really tragic (I recall one a few years ago where the school provided private policy max was reached in just 24 hours). 

"We were told after her operation she would need to be in hospital for at least two weeks and it would be six weeks until she would be fit to travel."

 

She said: "At the moment she is in a Thai government hospital, she's been there about a week.

"She had an operation where metal rods were inserted to take some of the pressure off her nerves.

"They don't know about long-term damage at the moment. We were initially told it would take two years before she would be walking again but we just don't know."

 

 

 

that is what I read

[Sheryl]

29 minutes ago, smedly said:

"We were told after her operation she would need to be in hospital for at least two weeks and it would be six weeks until she would be fit to travel."

 

She said: "At the moment she is in a Thai government hospital, she's been there about a week.

"She had an operation where metal rods were inserted to take some of the pressure off her nerves.

"They don't know about long-term damage at the moment. We were initially told it would take two years before she would be walking again but we just don't know."

 

 

 

that is what I read

It also says:

"She has no mobility from the waist down, no feeling in her legs, she can't use her hands, she can't move her wrists.

"She can't hold anything, she has to be spoon-fed and she needs a straw to drink but she can talk and move her head."

 

A hospital discharge will be near impossible unless there is a home she can go to with a 24 hour caretaker. The family is quite right to be very worried. In fact they should be making immediate plans for travel here by at least 1 family member  so as to be able to care for her when discharged. For that matter, she really needs someone with her in the hospital, but the 7 day quarantine means that even if someone arrives today it will be a week before they can help care for her. Hopefully this is in the works.

 

Stable enough to travel is not the same as being able to travel without a medical attendant, though if there is a family member with her possibly that alone would be accepted (depends on the airline and wording of medical certificate). 

 

Taking into account quarantine costs for the arriving relative(s), cost of flying back business (or even first class )with seats removed, this  will  be very costly.

[smedly]

13 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

It also says:

"She has no mobility from the waist down, no feeling in her legs, she can't use her hands, she can't move her wrists.

"She can't hold anything, she has to be spoon-fed and she needs a straw to drink but she can talk and move her head."

 

A hospital discharge will be near impossible unless there is a home she can go to with a 243 hour caretaker. The family is quite right to be very worried. In fact they should be making immediate plans for travel here by at least 1 family member  so as to be able to care for her when discharged. For that matter, she really needs someone with her in the hospital, but the 7 day quarantine means that even if someone arrives today it will be a week before they can help care for her. Hopefully this is in the works.

 

Stable enough to travel is not the same as being able to travel without a medical attendant, though if there is a family member with her possibly that alone would be accepted (depends on the airline and wording of medical certificate). 

 

Taking into accoubnt quarantine costs for the arriving relative, cost of flying back business (or even first_ class with seats removed, this  will  be very costly.

agree with most of what you said

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

Amazing how you can get sued for stating a negative but true opinion here yet owners of obviously flawed buildings with poor maintenance get a free pass.

Amazing Thailand

[fredscats]

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

Time and time again, I keep saying people living here, especially those who qualify age wise, should seriously have private health cover with repatriation which is usually in the policy.

 

"Katie said Jill's health insurance covered a trip in the ambulance and her stay in ICU at a private hospital. But her coverage has now been used up and she has been moved to a government hospital.

She said: "At the moment she is in a Thai government hospital, she's been there about a week.

"She had an operation where metal rods were inserted to take some of the pressure off her nerves.

"They don't know about long-term damage at the moment. We were initially told it would take two years before she would be walking again but we just don't know."

 

At 47 one would doubt that private health insurance with repatriation being part of the policy would be that expensive, now the family is left with this big financial burden to clean up which could have been avoided.

 

I wish her a speedy recovery and hope others listen up as we don't know what tomorrow brings, in Jill's case a lot to deal with without the backing of a private health insurer because she didn't have the right policy.

 

In a nutshell the soothsayers for medical insurance,used up in a flash.  Would have been better going to govt.hospital from the off, lasted far longer,same same treatment too

[4MyEgo]

8 minutes ago, fredscats said:

In a nutshell the soothsayers for medical insurance,used up in a flash.  Would have been better going to govt.hospital from the off, lasted far longer,same same treatment too

That was my whole point, no one can foresee the future and knowing that I have 40 million baht coverage for private health cover puts me at ease.

 

Have been to government hospitals (outpatient) and to private hospitals (outpatient), no doubt the government hospitals are cheaper than the private hospitals, but to me, the wait is like 5-10 minutes to see a Dr vs 3-4 hours, and maybe 15-30 minutes to see a specialist vs come back tomorrow at the public hospital and wait 3-4 hours again.

 

If I had to stay in the government hospitals that I have been too, they are not up to my standard like back at home in Oz, just comparing government to government hospitals, also finding an English speaking doctor or nurse in a government hospital here has been very limited vs a private hospital from my experiences.

 

It all boils down to choices and financial standings, so if it costs me to be covered for private, then I choose to pay for it, I could self insure to protect my savings, but how much of a hit do I want to take when I know for the cost of a couple of beers a day, I am covered for 40 mil baht and my savings won't take a hit, no different to insuring your car or house, albeit health insurance is more expensive because it costs more for everything associated with health.

 

Like I said, it boils down to choices, financial standings & covering my savings, and I feel that in a private you get treated better as they have better trained staff and more modern up to date tech when it comes to being thoroughly examined vs a government hospital. 

 

Do you think is she had health insurance cover she would still be here or her family requiring to go begging for help ?

[NanaSomchai]

1 hour ago, MaiDong said:

It's no help to this poor lady, but whenever I'm in an elevated position and relying on handrails or balustrades, I either give them a kick or a palm to check their sturdiness, I don't trust any structures at all here. 

I wouldn't trust anything at all here either.

[Sheryl]

Knowing that she was a teacher I suspect what happened is that, like many others, she was lulled into thinking the private insurance the school provided was enough (likely knowing nothing about actual medical costs here).

 

It never is, the private schools take advantage of a loophole allowing them to opt out of the Social Security system and instead provide flashy but almost useless private policies.

 

A shame but unfortunately common.

 

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

Another tragedy where the British authorities fail to help their citizens in stark comparison  to other nations

[khunPer]

33 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Knowing that she was a teacher I suspect what happened is that, like many others, she was lulled into thinking the private insurance the school provided was enough (likely knowing nothing about actual medical costs here).

 

It never is, the private schools take advantage of a loophole allowing them to opt out of the Social Security system and instead provide flashy but almost useless private policies.

 

A shame but unfortunately common.

Isn't it possible to join the Social Security voluntary when having a work, if you so wish?

 

I was told that teachers on my daughter's private school - which was both bi-lingual and international school - could choose either to join Social Security or get 1,000 baht more a month and buy an insurance themselves, at least some chose the last option. However, you cannot buy a prime health insurance for 12,000 baht a year, so either you need to add something on top or settle with a low coverage - perhaps some just considered it as 1,000 baht extra in the pocket per month.

 

In general, moving more permanently to Thailand, you really need to seriously consider your options before making the move also from a worst case scenario.

[khunPer]

39 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Another tragedy where the British authorities fail to help their citizens in stark comparison  to other nations

Several nations won't help. When you move abroad, you are on your own; meaning that you can buy insurances to cover you, it's an accident, not a major natural catastrophe or war.

 

My Danish home country don't help at all - apart from diplomatic help by an embassy - and if they repatriate you, which was the case with some few citizens stranded in South America during the Covid break out, you need to pay the costs yourself later.

 

[The Hammer2021]

41 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Several nations won't help. When you move abroad, you are on your own; meaning that you can buy insurances to cover you, it's an accident, not a major natural catastrophe or war.

 

My Danish home country don't help at all - apart from diplomatic help by an embassy - and if they repatriate you, which was the case with some few citizens stranded in South America during the Covid break out, you need to pay the costs yourself later.

 

Some help of some sort should be offered. It's a disgrace to the highly paid diplomatic  corp that UK citizens, tax payers whose taxes pay their salaries that they  do nothing whilst sick, distressed people have to beg publicly on the world stage.

[kingstonkid]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Several nations won't help. When you move abroad, you are on your own; meaning that you can buy insurances to cover you, it's an accident, not a major natural catastrophe or war.

 

My Danish home country don't help at all - apart from diplomatic help by an embassy - and if they repatriate you, which was the case with some few citizens stranded in South America during the Covid break out, you need to pay the costs yourself later.

 

Same with Canada.  We are warned to have coverage.  They will help with notification of NOK. 

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Isn't it possible to join the Social Security voluntary when having a work, if you so wish?

 

I was told that teachers on my daughter's private school - which was both bi-lingual and international school - could choose either to join Social Security or get 1,000 baht more a month and buy an insurance themselves, at least some chose the last option. However, you cannot buy a prime health insurance for 12,000 baht a year, so either you need to add something on top or settle with a low coverage - perhaps some just considered it as 1,000 baht extra in the pocket per month.

 

In general, moving more permanently to Thailand, you really need to seriously consider your options before making the move also from a worst case scenario.

 

I believe there is an Employer contribution involved so if a school opts out I am not sure there is any way a teacher can opt in.

 

Some schools do indeed offer a choice but more do not.

[khunPer]

43 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Some help of some sort should be offered. It's a disgrace to the highly paid diplomatic  corp that UK citizens, tax payers whose taxes pay their salaries that they  do nothing whilst sick, distressed people have to beg publicly on the world stage.

When living and working abroad, you pay income tax abroad - the common 180-days rule for tax residency - we Danes for example, are the heaviest taxed population in the whole World, and we get next to nothing in return if we move out; and if staying home we don't get much either...

[Sheryl]

11 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

Same with Canada.  We are warned to have coverage.  They will help with notification of NOK. 

True of majority of countries.

 

Those that offer financial assistance etc are the outliers.

[khunPer]

Just now, Sheryl said:

 

I believe there is an Employer contribution involved so if a school opts out I am not sure there is any way a teacher can opt in.

 

Some schools do indeed offer a choice but more do not.

Yes, normally the employee pays 50 percent of the fee, and the employer pays 50 percent, it's at the moment 10 percent of the salary, but minimum 500 baht per month, and maximum 1,500 baht per month.

 

I was thinking if one pays 1,500 baht - a minimum teacher salary for a foreigner is around 30k baht to 35k baht per month, so 10 percent would be 3,000 baht - I know that you can continue voluntary with the health coverage for little les than 500 baht per month, when you have been covered by the Social Security during work (been paying contribution for at least 12 month and left work for not more than 6 months).

 

I found my English leaflet from Social Security, it says...

 

[The Hammer2021]

36 minutes ago, khunPer said:

When living and working abroad, you pay income tax abroad - the common 180-days rule for tax residency - we Danes for example, are the heaviest taxed population in the whole World, and we get next to nothing in return if we move out; and if staying home we don't get much either...

We have paid income tax before we come here. Our families  have been paying income tax for generations. Depending on our circumstances  we still pay income tax when living abroad. I pay income tax. People expect  so little from their governments so they get  nothing. Regarding Denmark: in the 70s it was famous for the support it gave its citizens when in distress abroad. Whatever the current protocols are I still  regard it as shamefull that a badly injured young woman is given no assistance  from our overpaid  and underworked diplomatic service. I have met these people often in Iran, Kuwait, Libya,Spain  and Burma and they are consistently  out of touch with the needs of people and consistently  drawn from the same selfish, elite, upper class Eton and Harrow political  elite. Common  decency and mercy  should be applied to this poor girl and other cases but I guess that is too much to expect from the highly paid, tax free  all expenses paid diplomatic  set.

Edited December 29, 2021 by The Hammer2021

[The Hammer2021]

59 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

Same with Canada.  We are warned to have coverage.  They will help with notification of NOK. 

There comes a time when governments need to intervene to help  distressed people. Not all contingencies  can be covered  by insurance. Governments are paying millions to help people with covid problem. Somebody in serious distress should get advice,  support, help, loans and aid in getting home. They should not  be relegated to the status  of beggar.