MEANS,
MEANS, BUT FOR NOW, LET'S SEND IT BACK TO CARIBE AND TRAM IN
THE STUDIO.
THE STUDIO. >>> TONIGHT ONLY ON 12 NEWS, WE
KNOW POLICE OFFICERS, AND ALL
LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE PUTTING
THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EVERY
DAY FOR US.
BUT SOMETIMES THE TRAUMA THEY
FACE WHILE KEEPING US SAFE
MEANS THAT THEY NEED HELP.
>> TEAM 12'S BIANCA BONO HAS
BEEN INVESTIGATING THE UPHILL
BATTLES TOO MANY OFFICERS FACE
WHEN THEY'RE FINALLY TRYING TO
GET ONGOING CARE IN BEYOND THE
BADGE.
BADGE.
BADGE. >>
BADGE. >> Reporter: AFTER FIGHTING FOR
YOUR COUNTRY, BEN TOOK ON A NEW
CHALLENGE WITH THE PHOENIX
POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIGHTING
CRIME.
CRIME.
CRIME. IN
CRIME. IN 2014, THE SUSPECT TURNED TO
TERROR.
TERROR.
TERROR. A
TERROR. A SUSPECT IN A STOLEN CAR
CRASHED INTO HIM.
>> SHE HAD A GRIP ON THE
STEERING WHEEL WITH BEING SENT
TO RUN ME OVER.
>> Reporter: LEADING TO YET
ANOTHER FIGHT.
ANOTHER FIGHT. ONE WITH HIS OWN MENTAL HEALTH.
FIVE SEPARATE DOCTORS,
DIAGNOSING BEN WITH PTSD.
>> IT ADDS UP QUICK.
>> Reporter: BEN APPLIED FOR
WORKER'S COMPENSATION TO HELP
PAY FOR HIS TREATMENT, BUT HIS
INTERNAL BATTLE WOULD NOT
COMPARE TO THE BATTLE WITHIN
HIS OWN CITY.
>> IT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT
CHALLENGE I'VE EVER BEEN
THROUGH IN MY LIFE.
>> Reporter: HE APPEALED THE
DECISION, TAKING IT TO THE
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION.
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION. AND DESPITE THE PREVIOUS
DIAGNOSES, HE WORRIED HIS
APPEAL WILL BOIL DOWN TO ONE
THING, AN INDEPENDENT MEDICAL
EXAM.
EXAM.
EXAM. >>
EXAM. >> IT'S OUT OF CONTROL.
>> Reporter: THE EXAM
COMPLETEDLY DR. JAMES YOUNGJOHN
CONCLUDED BEN DIDN'T NEED ANY
ACTIVE OR SUPPORTIVE MEDICAL
TREATMENT.
TREATMENT. AFTER EXAMING CITY DATA, AND
INTERVIEWING OFFICERS, THE 12
NEWS I TEAM FOUND A MAJOR
OBSTACLE.
OBSTACLE.
OBSTACLE. THAT INDEPENDENT EXAM.
>> THE PEOPLE THAT HIRE THEM
ARE CONFIDENT, THEY'RE COMING
BACK WITH OPINIONS TO SUPPORT
THEIR VIEWS.
THEIR VIEWS. WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE HAPPEN
IS FOR A TRULY INDEPENDENT
VIEW.
VIEW.
VIEW. THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.
BUT OUR SYSTEM HAS BECOME SO
ADVERSARIAL, AND BECOME SO
ENTRENCHED, ENGRAVED ON EACH
SIDE, THE INDEPENDENCE IS GONE.
>> Reporter: THE CITY PICKS A
DOCTOR TO DO THE EXAM.
THE SAME CITY THAT DENIED AN
OFFICER'S CLAIM, AND WOULD HAVE
TO PAY THE OFFICER IF THE
OFFICER WINS.
OFFICER WINS. OFFICERS ARE ALSO ALLOWED TO
HAVE THEIR OWN EXPERTS IF THEY
CAN AFFORD ONE.
BUT SOME, LIKE BEN, DON'T HAVE
A LAWYER, AND NO EXPERT
WITNESS.
WITNESS.
WITNESS. >> THIS SYSTEM ONLY WORKS WHEN
EACH SIDE IS RELATIVELY EQUALLY
POSITIONED TO PRESENT THEIR
POINT OF VIEW.
YOU DEVIATE FROM THAT, AND THE
SIDE THAT HAS MORE MONEY, THE
GREATER OPPORTUNITY IS GOING TO
DO BETTER.
DO BETTER. >> Reporter: SO WHO'S
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THE
INDEPENDENT SYSTEM WORKS?
THE 12 NEWS I TEAM WANTED TO
FIND OUT?
FIND OUT?
FIND OUT? THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION
CHARGED WITH THE PROTECTION OF
LIFE, HEALTH, SAFETY, AND
WELFARE OF ARIZONA'S EMPLOYEES
REFUSED OUR INTERVIEW REQUEST.
>> THE REASON I'M HERE IS TO
TALK ABOUT INDEPENDENT MEDICAL
EXAMS.
EXAMS.
EXAMS. >>
EXAMS. >> Reporter: SO WE WENT TO
THEIR MEETING.
THEIR MEETING. >> DO YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TO ENSURE THAT THESE
INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EXAMS ARE
IN FACT INDEPENDENT?
>> IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS
ROUTINELY REVIEWED AT THIS
LEVEL.
LEVEL.
LEVEL. >>
LEVEL. >> Reporter: AND THE ARIZONA
BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGIST EXAMINERS
ALSO DENIED OUR INTERVIEW
REQUEST.
REQUEST.
REQUEST. SO WE WENT TO THEIR MEETING.
>> AT THIS APPOINTMENT, IT
APPEARS NO ONE IS REGULATING
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. SO
THIS. SO AS THE BOARD, WOULDN'T THAT
BE YOUR GUYS' RESPONSIBILITY?
>> WE APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.
SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO
SPEAK ABOUT, DISCUSS AT A LATER
MEETING, AND PUT IT ON THE
AGENDA.
AGENDA.
AGENDA. >> Reporter: AFTER WEEKS OF
TRYING TO REACH DR. JAMES
YOUNGJOHN HIMSELF, WE WEPT TO
HIS OFFICE.
HIS OFFICE. >> I CAN'T TALK ABOUT ANY
INDIVIDUAL CASES.
INDIVIDUAL CASES. >> CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE
INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EXAMS IN
GENERAL THAT YOU DO?
>> THEY'RE OBJECTIVE.
THEY'RE EVIDENCE BASED.
SO I'M JUST NOT GOING TO SPEAK
WITH YOU.
WITH YOU.
WITH YOU. SO THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: LEAVING OFFICERS
LIKE BEN TO FIGHT FOR
THEMSELVES, BUT IT'S A FIGHT
HE'S REFUSING TO LOSE.
>> I SEE THAT SOMETHING IS
WRONG, AND I WANT TO MAKE IT
RIGHT.
RIGHT.
RIGHT. >>
RIGHT. >> Reporter: BEN'S UPHILL
BATTLE APPEARS TO BE GETTING
STEEPER.
STEEPER.
STEEPER. FOLLOWING OUR ENCOUNTER WITH
DR. YOUNGJOHN, MESA'S ATTORNEY
WROTE A LETTER ACCUSING BEN AND
12 NEWS OF WITNESS TAMPERING.
BEN'SNOT IS SURE IF HE'LL
ULTIMATELY WIN HIS CASE AND GET
THE HELP HE SAYS HE DESPERATELY
NEEDS, BUT HE VOWS,