Worker’s Compensation

Worker’s Compensation Lawyers

Getting injured is never good, especially if that injury occurred on the clock. Instead of focusing on recovery, you can get bogged down with the logistics of paying your bills and still earning a wage to support your family. Luckily, almost all employers carry some form of workers’ compensation for work injury. This helps you pay off your medical bills and, in some cases, will provide you with income to stay on your feet.

Navigating this process of applying and being accepted to begin receiving benefits isn’t as a straight line as some may think it is, however. This is where a worker’s compensation lawyer comes in and provides the aide you need to get the benefits you deserve via workers’ comp.

What is Worker’s Compensation?

Worker’s compensation (or commonly referred to as worker’s comp) is an insurance program that is required in nearly every state for employers to sign up for. When an employee gets injured via a workplace accident, this insurance kicks in and provides financial restitution for any missed wages or medical bills that may have resulted from the injury. It is very effective at:

1. Protecting employers from lawsuits except for in rare cases.
2. Allowing employees quick and efficient medical treatment options and wage protection.

What workplace injuries are covered by worker’s compensation?

While which exact injuries are covered by insurance varies from employer to employer, there are a few types of injury that usually are covered. When in doubt, consult with a Los Angeles employment attorney to evaluate your options and see what you may be entitled to.

• Accidental Injuries: Falls, slips, or falls are usually covered. This can also include machinery/vehicle accidents while at a job site
• Occupational Injury: An example of this would be contractor being exposed to hazardous materials like asbestos or mold while on a job.
• Aggravation of Pre-existing conditions: If you have a preexisting injury or illness, and your workplace aggravates it, then you may have a case of worker’s comp.
• Repetitive Stress Injury: Commonplace in most office jobs, this includes conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. These can flare up over time and make working conditions unbearable for some.

All types of workplace injury have one thing in common: they occur out of or at the workplace. If your injury is similar to the examples described above, consult with your work injury lawyer to see if you have a case.

Worker’s Compensation Benefits

This also varies from employer to employer but below are some examples of typical worker’s comp benefits.

• Medical Benefits: Often the most important to employees, this could be coverage of medical treatment or consultations
• Wage Replacement: The employer will replace your wages for a set amount of time while you recover from your injury.
• Permanent Disability Benefits: If the injury leaves lasting or permanent effects to your health, you can apply for permanent disability benefits
• Rehabilitation Benefits: While on the road to full recovery from injury, rehabilitation is the only way to get back to a normal health level. Rehabilitation benefits help cover these costs to get you back to 100%.
• Death Benefits: Given the worst case scenario, with death benefits your employer will give financial support and funeral help for your family after you are gone.

Worker’s Comp Application

You have just been injured at your workplace and filed a claim, what happens now? Most cases will go through with quick and intensive reporting, but unfortunately not every claim is accepted. Insurance companies may say that the report of the injury was not placed within a quick enough time frame or that workplace policies weren’t followed, resulting in injury. This can leave employees scared and feeling lost on what to do next to get their rightful worker’s compensation. That is why it is so important to contact a worker’s compensation lawyer to ensure that you follow the correct process and increase your odds of receiving benefits. When you get injured in the workplace, follow the steps below to ensure your best chance of a successful worker’s compensation claim:

1. Report your injury to your supervisor and HR as soon as you can. Provide as much detail as possible when reporting it, as this gives insurance companies less of a chance to deny it due to unknown factors in what occurred.
2. Seek medical treatment and inform your doctor that the injury is from a workplace injury. They can help guide you along the process and ensure that they are within your employer’s insurance network.
3. Record as much as possible about the injury and treatment for the insurance companies. The more information you have disposable to you, the better case you have.
4. Avoid blindly signing any documents from your employer until you have properly consulted the document. They may offer you a settlement immediately to cover their financial risk. If you need any help evaluating the documents, be sure to contact your Los Angeles Employment Attorney

When to Contact a Work Injury Lawyer

While some claims can be handled without the help of an employment attorney, it is in your best interest to contact one and gauge your options. You should strongly consider contacting an employment attorney if your claim has been denied or delayed, as they can guide you through the appeal process. If your benefits are lower than expected and you are left with permanent limitations, consulting an employment lawyer is in your best interest to reciprocate these grievances via the correct financial resolution.

At Shegerian Conniff, we are here to help you with your workplace injury. As your Los Angeles employment attorney, we will ensure your claim is tended to and given the best possible chance for approval. We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients, so reach out today for a free consultation and to evaluate your options.