“I’m just not sure where I am at,” said Biddick, who has driven trucks for 19 years.
“When WINZ said they weren’t going to give us anything, my wife said I either get back to work or get out.
“I told her I can’t drive now because I believe it would be dangerous.
“So in the end, she showed me the door.”
The dad of three stopped work in November but his troubles date back to 2001.
“I had an operation on my heel and went to the specialist who told me to just rest it and not put any pressure on it,” Biddick said.
“But ACC contacted me later and said I had to go to physio – against what the specialist advised.”
The 43-year-old said despite having reservations, he went back to work. The pain was uncomfortable but not unmanageable.
That was until last November when he felt like a hot poker had been shot through his foot.
“I was driving my truck and next thing I know this pain goes right up my leg.
“I almost hit the back of my cab.
“In front of me were two young people in a car which I could have ploughed into.
“I decided then I couldn’t risk it being on the road,” Biddick said.
“I went back to the doctor and was given 30 days off and was placed on ACC.
“ACC then sent me to WINZ.”
Biddick said because of the flare up of what ACC claims is an old injury, his employer paid him out – which included time owed and holiday pay. That helped clear a number of household bills.
“I went to WINZ and showed them my bank account – which had the final payment in,’ Biddick said.
“My wife and I also discussed how we were going to get through.
“I told her we could sell some of our stuff to make ends meet late one afternoon WINZ contacted me to say we would not be receiving anything because of my final payment and I also had a two-week stand down.
“With no money, my wife said ‘get back to work tomorrow.’ I said I can’t and she kicked me out.
“This happened right before Christmas.”
Biddick said with no home or family to turn to, Christmas was a terrible time.
The dad of three children is now struggling on a sickness benefit.
“I can see why some people take their own lives,” Biddick said. “I’m broke, I’m going to be made bankrupt and I’ve lost my home and family.”
An ACC spokesperson said they could not discuss Biddick’s case – at this stage – because of the Privacy Act.
“Once he signs a privacy waiver we can,” the spokesperson said.
