Josh Demuth Injured
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 | 10:10 AM
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PrintWe received terrible news earlier today regarding former Arenacross Champion Josh Demuth.
Just wanted to let you guys know Josh had a BAD crash over the weekend and he's in pretty bad shape. He compounded his right tib/fib, dislocated his right shoulder and dislocated his left ankle and broke more than 10 bones in his left foot. He's in his second surgery as we speak. He's going to need probably at least five when its all said and done. The docs are mostly worried about his left ankle/foot. They don't know if he's going to be able to walk right again. I'd like to try to get something set up for him. He doesn't have health insurance!!! He almost had it from his job that he's been working! This sucks!
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What is with riders and lack of health insurance? If you don't have any, plain and simple do not ride. It's time riders are responsible for their actions and be smart. Hope everything is OK and get well soon Josh.
I also think it should be mandatory that any rider competing in the AMA series be required to have health insurance, plain and simple. Riding is a job. I own a business and am required to have many insurances to cover myself and employees.
Motohead279 I agree 100%!! No health insurance!!! Another one. What are people thinking???
.Either way I wish him well.
I agree with the "not having health insurance." One of the problems is that these AX riders don't make squat for money. Get well Josh..
Get Well,insurance is key.
This is terrible news, hopefully The Sheriff can pull it through. Agreed, you
MUST have medical insurance to ride/race. I thought Josh retired from Pro
Competition events, but even out riding with buds you gotta cover yourself.
Hey that is bad mainly with your feet, I have broken several bones in my feet plus badly sprained my feet and ankles too many times. After the last one where I managed to drop a heavy box on both feet while standing on a couple of 2X6's iit was the end of my feet I am know on cane or cruthes all of the time, All of the other times it was from racing raced 27 years..
I never raced nor rode my YZ's when I did not have proper insurance.I did ride my Harley's on the street without prpoer insurance but not much.I was also as carful as I could be.
I do feel very bad about Josh and I know it is bad! Why did he not wait till he had insurance if it was jjust a short time? I aggree with all about people riding without insurance not very smart.
I bought my first health and accident policy 60 days before I turned 19, that was the age my Moms iinsurance from being a teacher would expire. As luck would happen I broke my back30 some days after the policy went into effect, I was lucky, did race for 60 days without insurance??
Sorry to hear. I agree with all the posts here.
It's no longer a question of IF you get hurt, it's WHEN.
Can't help but think somewhere there is a duck screaming AFLAC!!
Get well Josh!
Maybe the AMA or some other body could come up with some kind of pooled insurance program. This would be especially valuable to the privateers.
I agree !!!!!!!!! how bout that! to the previous post. Josh was born in Dover Ohio about 20 miles south of Canton Ohio were I Mr_Mx resided mostly till I was 30yrs old. This was a real hot bed area for talent Brock Sellards also from Dover - New Philadelphia area. Remember him !!! Josh lives out in Texas, Fort worth area retired at the end of 2011 with a lot of injuries .I guess we still all ride at some level, but I never threw a leg over a bike or didn't strap on at least a helmet before even riding on the drive or the yard to clean out or warm up the bike. I had a kid or I should say a younger adult that should of known better pop a wheel, flipped backwards in the street in my cul-de-sac no helmet literally become a vegetable in front of my eye while we were waiting for the ambulance about 2 months ago and No insurance of coarse>>>> this gentleman never ridden before in his life.
Get well soon Josh we will pray for you!!!!!!
Speaking on insurance Mrs_Mx & myself were at the dentist a few weeks back just 6 month cleaning, no biggy !! While we we waiting this was 10:00am appointments they open at 9:00 am nobody around right.These groups of no insurance Hispanics 2 sets of 3 showed up,and cant speak English so now we have to translate for them because you know this is America right!!!!!!!! The language is English at least when I grew up.
They have no insurance wearing designer baggy shorts hip hop crap on, MJ High-tops shoes, chains,smart phones new ford mustang, the female was wearing a Marilyn Monroe t-shirt only in America right!! but are not legal to even be here. What's up!!!!!! Where is the money coming from !!!Whose paying for this stuff!!!!!! I'll tell you. You are, I am, anyone who follows the rules and obeys the law ,taxpayers etc.This madness has to stop. Of coarse they we ushered right back and taken care of, you would of thought the Queen of England just strolled thru town stopped at Mickey D's, and broke her crown or something on a Big Mac. RIDICULOUS..
Folks if you come to the country and you have been hear for any length of time!!! We do business in English ..The language in English you are in America, If you don't want to assimilate,
THEN GET OUT
Mr_Mx > out
I used my wifes photo it looks better
Josh is a good guy, it sucks when these guys get hurt and they are not even getting paid. Good health insurance costs about as much as some peoples house payments.
The AMA provides insurance when you are competing, but not practicing. Private insurance is all that will cover you while riding and not an AMA sanctioned event. I am sorry to hear this about Josh. I have had a worst that average tib/fib injury myself. He has a long road ahead. My prayers are with him and his family.
He was in between insurance and just riding at Village creek not racing, his job insurance was about to be in effect. I will help him as I hope others will too. I have rode many times without insurance and am glad that the times I got hurt bad I had it. I hate the fact that something I love to do is dangerous. I would NEVER stop living or playing just because I didn't have insurance at the time, but I would always be responsible and pay my bills no matter what happened (if possible)
@mxmofo1 AX guys don't make a ton of $, but a former Champ should make enough to afford health insurance.... Josh Woods made $100,000 the first year he rode AX and that was without finishing the series due to injury.
I live here in Dallas and was fortunate to watch Josh ride quite a bit. The AX team he rode for has their shop about 10 minutes from my house which was kind of cool. Definitely a bummer deal.
I agree with the insurance statement above with the AMA stepping in and have a pooled insurance of some sort. I don't know if anyone on here remembers but i believe it was RacerX that did an article with Ryan Clark of Team Solitaire, which spoke heavily on the issues regarding insurance. Flat out, it was just too expensive to provide health insurance for a professional MX/SX racer. And sadly, if you look at how many back injuries and surgeries that have taken place this year alone, or any other amateur that holds an AMA license, i doubt the AMA wants to pay the money to provide insurance.
Just maybe if people were not paying 42 cents of every Dollar they make to the shysters in the US Government they might have money to buy Health Insurance? These clowns make Al Capone look like a Rank Amateur.
@RUEZ2,, Trust me, times have changed. I have heard this from a VERY reliable source.. Yes, you may win some for winning the Championship, but if your just a top 5 guy, its around 25k a year. Factories can't afford to pay AX riders anymore. Honest to God...
Josh has been working his ass off busting his butt and just riding very, very rarely for fun. His health insurance was just about to kick in through his work. He has been doing everything right! I appreciate the concern about the health insurance but I think its better to focus on his health and his road to recovery!
Totally sucks. Wish you the best, Josh.
On the insurance thing, I was denied insurance by nearly every provider out there when I raced MTB's. Lots of ER visits and lots of bills. Oh, I could obtain it... for about $300 per month for anything decent, and that's if you fudge the application: not listing certain dangerous activities (like racing bikes for money) and, thus, possibly not being covered anyway. I have always had insurance and currently do, but I pay about $100 per month and have a $5,000 deductible (and whenever I need it, I'm ALWAYS "out of network"!!!). I do that only to protect my family financially, in the case that I get really messed up.
Unless you make good money, if you're self-employed, effective insurance is pretty much priced out of your reach. If you're a pro moto-racer, unless you're making six-fig's (which is pretty much nobody) you're kinda throwing valuable $$ down the drain (especially if you're honest w/ the ins. company about what you do). When you figure a "normal" injury (broken wrist, collarbone) and an ER trip costs $1000 -$1500, why not role the dice? What are you gonna do, quit living your life?
There are no easy answers on this one. The insurance biz is pretty whacked and pretty unattainable to a lot of people. And the hospitals won't let you die on their doorstep, so... lot's of people go without. Sounds like Josh had some insurance in the works, but it hadn't kicked in yet. I know way too many pro riders that have been in this situation -- and intelligent and responsible guys -- but sometimes you end up taking risks (not only on the track) to keep the dream alive...
We all agree why don't they health ins. These guys are proffesional athletes and i'm pretty sure they are not eligible for a standard HMO/Master Medical policy.
Most Pro's have medical expenses in there contract.
I have a friend who sells life and health policies if anyone wants me to get on and explain what riders need to de to protect themselfs.
filthyanimal good description of how insurance company's work, And fudging the truth can only led to touble. (material misrepresentation) Basically the company will pay nothing on the claim.
There are also situations where you just can't get health insurance at all, for any price. That may have changed with the 2009 Health Care bill (I refuse to be a ins co tool and call it O----care), but it used to be, if you don't live in a state that has some kind of "insurance for the uninsurable", and you can be out of luck.
Fibbing on the applications is a really bad idea. If you ever have a big claim, the insurance companies have people who will scour every communication you've ever had with them, and look for any error or omission.
Didn't we just go through this with him last year??? Or was that another AX guy, could have sworn he got hurt and they set up something for him.
Had a bad crash back in the 90's,between ICU and an 11 day hospital (combined) stay it was well over a hundred grand crash and I only got stuck with a $15 co-pay,thank God for my insurance,did end up paying quite a few more $15 co-pays for follow ups and physical therapy.stiill ride and stiil have my insurance although the co-pay is no longer $15,lol.
I bought a brand new RM 250 back in the day. My Dad said no riding it until the insurance kicks in on my new job. On the way home from the dealer I go straight to the riding area and burn a tank of gas. It was raining cats and dogs the whole time. Pulling in the driveway he comes up to me and says " What do I have to do? Pull the effing rear wheel off the bike". Next ride was 85 days later.
So sorry to hear to news about Demuth.
( the news)
Josh
again get well soon!!!!!!!!!
I would of went to the dealer with you.
But if I couldn't
I would of beat you with a strap. My dad would of
@ BlackJack that is
You think BigTireGuy ever threw a leg up?????????
@Mr_Mx Blame it on young,dumb and full of .... I have been acquainted with belt in other situations. It is not P.C. today, but I felt it helped shaped me to be a better man today.
I will be looking forward to meeting you and Mr-H-Chizek at Highpoint. Gonna try to make Budds and Steel City as well.
@ Blackjack
Mr_Mx & Mr-H-Chizek and maybe BigTireGuy will be at HighPoint,RedBud
Mrs_Mx and Mr_Mx will be at all events except LakeElsinor Sept. 8 shirley you wil notice me .I stick out in the crowd if you know what I mean. Mr_Mx will be Grandmarshall at Springcreek July 14,2012 see ya at the races...........Blackjack
Bye Blackjack
Mrs_Mx
Sorry for the double posting Mr_Mx
I guess my Mr_Mx was talking about Bigtireguy being at HighPoint I never met the man,sorry Blackjack
There is a spanish proverb I wish to address to those criticizing those who ride without insurance: "it is different to talk of bulls than to be in the bullring." Often those with coverage (especially through their work where they do not see the cost) do not realize since obamacare has been in motion, private insurance rates have gone up more than 300%. Monetary concerns aside, being hurt is never the plan, but an unfortunate carry over effect of riding. More times than not a rider finishes practicing or racing without an injury. The fact the ratio of being happy (riding) to the occurrence of injury is in favor of riding, those who criticize riders without insurance passively deny what it means to ride and how a small amount of risk is worth the unparalleled completeness that riding provides. More importantly: Get well Josh.
No, we are supposed to be adults and responsible for our actionsTransientthought. Your proverb made absolutely no sense. I am in the bullring, I ride. I have insurance. Should we also drive if we can't afford car insurance? Should we buy a house if we can't afford to pay the insurance on it? Plus your insurance premium rates increase are way off. Every year mine has gone up, but nothing substantially over one year to the next.
Insurance is not cheap, I understand, but we live in a society that would rather have 5k rims on our cars, flat panel TV's on our walls, wear designer clothes rather than spend our money on what we NEED to have. I see people walk into the grocery store wearing a pair of $100 jeans paying with food stamps. Plain and simple if you ride then you need to have insurance. Riding is unpredictable, you can get hurt any time. If you are going to be starting a job soon that has full benefits it might be a wise and responsible thing to maybe just wait a few weeks.
First and foremost, i wish Josh a quick and speedy recovery.
That being said, I have always wondered why a "professional" athlete would not have health coverage. I understand how expensive it can be, but the it's more expensive in the long run without it.
Bummer deal for Josh being between coverage, been there and paid for it (riding was not involved). I was stupid and rode without insurance a few times, but have since hung up my "leathers".
Let me say this one more time from myself and Chad Schniepp. Josh is very close to us both and for those of you that feel the need to harp about insurance, get the f@*k over it! If you havent been there you don't know what you are talking about. What's done is done and now it's time to look forward and do what we can to make things better! We are going to do everything we can to help and come up with solutions, not criticisms.
This is all too common of an article on this site. Any dedicated motocrosser has needed or will need care at some point, I struggle to grasp all the Obamacare bashing from a high risk crowd like us that needs the system to be there for us more than most, not bankrupt you. Get well soon Josh, I'll be pitching in.
Not having health insurance isn't gonna stop me from riding, never did. Luckily I have it now and haven't had to use it yet. For those talking crap about not having it obviously grew up on mommy and daddy's policy or had a nice couch potato job w/ great benefits... Duh it's not a smart idea... But what are you gonna do? Bust the lumbar out on your sofa?? Power to the less priviledged, health care for all!
jv212 if we get health insurance for all is going to be crap insurance, hospitols and drs deserve there there money just like anyone else, just like anything else its the people who cheat the system hurt the rest of us, I was working for motorola in 1990 when i broke my neck at mosier night track, my brother was scared to death because i was racing i wouldnt be covered, as long as you not a pro racing for money everything was covered, a fusion of c4 c5 2nd surgery to repair nerves, some were crushed and i couldnt move my arm, 2 mnths in hospitol 1 yr in physical therapy to regain about 80 percent use of my left arm, without insurance i would of got crappy doctors, no physical therapy and they will make you pay, ive raced since 1979 and now my 8yr old races and yes he is insured to the max, but no so much in the 70s and 80s know you pay if your somewhat serious anywhere from 4 thousand up to 11 thousand for a bike in gear, i dont see beater trucks most are know i see enclosed trailers that have more in them than my garage, motorhome every way you turn and thats at a amateur level so for some one not to have some kind of policy even if it a high deductible is crazy, i did the cross country series for five yrs and slept out of tent, but i had insurance, youll love this got hit by a drunk driver in 1993 coming back from practice, pullled to the shoulder jumped out to check my hitch he hit the corner of the trailer jack knifed it and cut my left leg off and crushed my right one, he back out and drove off, 3 guys helped me one chased him down and got his tags, he was a 30 yr. old 2 prior DWIs had a binder for insurance, meaning he barely had liability the car belong to his mom he didnt have shit, what saved my ass i had uninsured, udersured i was still with motorola which payed out 10 thousand for bodily dismemberment, paid for me to be out off work for a year, paid for another year of physical theraphy, what di d the jackass that hit me get 5yrs and a felony for failure to render aid, and no matter how many victim impact statements i wrote explaining if 3 men that wittness the accident and got me medical attention i would have bled out and died within the next 30 minutes the leg was gone and my right one ws so badly compound fractured it took 2 surgerys to put it back together he was parolled within 3 yrs. I need a leg every two to three years, Right know im being fitted for a leg, the cost 20 to 25 thousand my out of pocket 2,500.00 and lukily if you could call it luck they let me pay it out imagine if you could were i would be know if i didnt have insurance. And yes my mom and dad insured 9 kids my mom was an R.N. at Baylor Dallas Neo-Natal and busted her ass for 25 years and my dad was a pipe fitter and busted his ass, and my degree that got me a cushy job at motorola to me 10yrs plus to pay off and that wa swith a grant.