In California, workers’ compensation insurance is generally mandatory for employers. Their business depends on workers to provide products and services to their clients. Deficiency in a solid and dedicated employee base, won’t make a successful business. If they don’t carry this type of business insurance for their employees, they won’t be able to afford to pay medical bills and time-loss claims of their injured workers. If you suffer injuries or developed an illness in the workplace, you are eligible to file for workers’ compensation. ODG Law’s expert Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorneys are always ready to help. Call (818) 975-3080 and schedule a free consultation of your case.
California has its own statutes when it comes to workers’ compensation. That’s why it’s significant for employers to understand how to manage their business workers’ compensation risks. As an employee, you must know if the company or employer you’re working for carries worker compensation insurance.
The Purpose of Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation’s goal is to provide injured workers with the medical attention they need and monetary benefits during the course of their recovery period. Without this insurance, hurt or injured workers in the workplace might not be able to pay for medical treatment for their injuries.
Moreover, they lost pay benefits, significantly crucial for many families affected by a workplace injury. It’s a big help to make both ends meet while the injured breadwinner is out of work due to a work-related injury.
What Can Workers’ Compensation Do for Employers and Employees?
Aside from the state’s requirement, employers can benefit from carrying workers’ compensation. It includes:
Exclusive Remedy
California workers’ compensation laws provide an exclusive remedy or full means of redress for injured workers and employees. It means that under most situations, employees or workers cannot file a lawsuit against their employers for negligence that caused their injuries.
No-Fault Coverage
This no-fault provision law provides protection for employees when they sustain injuries or developed an illness during their employment no matter how the injury occurred. In most cases, provided that the employee suffered injuries within the course of employment, he or she will benefit from the coverage of workers’ compensation insurance.
You can acquire medical care for your work-related injury. Moreover, you can obtain treatment and rehabilitation for injury or illness to help you return to pre-injury conditions. Depending on your case, you can receive a settlement for partial or permanent disability.
Peace of Mind
As an employer, you won’t have to worry about paying your injured employees’ medical expenses and other overheads if you carry workers’ compensation. On the other hand, if you’re an injured worker, you have something to rely on when it comes to financial issues.
What Happens If You’re an Employer in California Without Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
If you’re an employer in California, you must know that it’s a law to have workers’ compensation insurance for your workers or face the consequences of not having one. These are:
Facing Penalties
The state may prohibit or ban your business or company, or even ask the court to close your business for good until you provide proof of bearing workers’ compensation.
Dealing with Fines
Businesses or companies with no coverage will deal with the penance of not over $10,000 or one-year imprisonment, or even both.
Loss of Exclusive Remedy
If you’re an employer and don’t maintain coverage and your employee suffers injury he or she may acquire the right to file a lawsuit against you in court for losses and damages. Regardless of the number of your employees, an accident could result in the filing of a case. Additionally, it’s likely when your worker sues you, you’ll be liable for the settlement and needs to pay.
Workers’ compensation doesn’t only protect the employees but employers as well. Companies and employers can avoid lawsuits, allowing them to continue their businesses.
Personal Liability
The employer and his company or business become personally liable for paying his worker’s medical expenses and lost wages.
Expert Los Angeles Workers’ Compensation Attorneys: What Benefits Does California Workers’ Compensation Include?
Before you can get compensation for your injury, you must first report the incident to your employer, especially when it’s severe. He will give you a form (DWC-1) to fill up for him to send to the insurance company for evaluation.
To ensure that you’ll file your claim within the specified period, contact ODG Law and our expert Los Angeles compensation attorney will be glad to help you. The benefits you may get in California’s workers’ compensation include:
Medical Care
For you to recover quickly and completely, you’ll need excellent medical care. It also means high medical bills, doctor’s fees, checkups, hospital costs, prescriptions, and more. When your company has a workers’ compensation system, you shouldn’t worry about paying the bills.
Lost Wages Replacement
When you sustain severe injuries, it will take time before you can regain your strength and health. It means that you’ll have to miss work and salaries as well. In cases such as this, you can receive temporary disability benefits if your attending doctor verifies that your injury or illness makes you lose time for work, including wages.
Permanent Disability
Disability can happen when the injury you suffered is extremely tragic. Based on the doctor’s evaluation, you can receive this benefit if you can no longer get back to work and do the same tasks prior to your injury or illness.
Supplemental Job Displacement Benefits
If you’re not able to return to work within 60 days following the ending of your temporary disability benefits, and at the same time you weren’t offered an alternative or modified work, you are eligible to receive a nontransferable voucher. You can use this to pay accredited schools for retraining or skill enhancement.
Death Benefits
The surviving family will be the one to receive this in case their loved one dies because of a work-related injury or illness.
Talk to a Knowledgeable Los Angeles Workers’ Compensation Attorney
An injured worker or employee may face many hurdles when applying for a workers’ compensation claim. You need someone you can rely on to protect your rights and defend you from the insurance company.
ODG Law together with its team of skilled and experienced workers’ compensation lawyers is always ready to help. We can help coordinate your medical care, work directly with your attorney, and represent you in court when necessary.
Call us today at (818) 975-3080 and have your case evaluated by our knowledgeable Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorney at no charge. We work on a contingency fee basis.
