Worker Seriously Injured in Universal City Hotel: What Workers Compensation Lawyers Can Do?
A worker suffered serious injuries after a fire broke out at a high-rise hotel that was being renovated in Universal City. According to a report in the Los Angeles Daily News, the fire occurred in a ninth-floor room at the 26-story Sheraton hotel at West Universal Place. Officials said the fire was held in check by the sprinkler system. Firefighters put out the fire and broke out the windows to release heavy smoke. There is no word yet on what caused the fire.
The worker was found in an adjacent room and taken to a hospital in grave condition. One firefighter was also transported to the hospital for treatment of a non-traumatic injury and was said to be in fair to serious condition. No guests were staying on that floor. Some of the guests who were staying on other floors self evacuated and others were told to take shelter in place.
What’s Covered Under Workers’ Comp?
When workers are injured on the job, they face not only physical and emotional challenges, but also severe financial strain. Workers who are severely injured on the job may not be able to work for a significant period of time. They may need additional therapy and treatment in order to fully recover from their injuries. In such cases, injured workers’ may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits from their employers.
Workers’ compensation insurance provides five basic benefits to injured workers. First, workers get medical benefits, which is paid for by the employer to help them recover from an injury or illness caused by work. Employees also get temporary disability benefits, which include a portion of wages lost due to the worker’s inability to continue his or her job.
Permanent disability benefits are also available to workers who have suffered catastrophic injuries and cannot recover fully from them. In these cases, workers are not able to return to work or earn a livelihood as a result of these job-related injuries. Supplemental job displacement benefits are vouchers that help pay for retraining or skill enhancement, if the worker is not able to fully recover from the injuries and cannot return to the job he or she was doing before the injury. When workers die in a work-related accident, their dependents may also be able to receive death benefits.
What Steps Can Workers Take?
There are several steps workers can take in order to preserve their legal rights. First, report the injury to your employer. By doing so, you’ll avoid problems and delays in receiving your benefits, including critical medical care. Get emergency medical treatment and care. Make sure you preserve as much evidence as possible at the scene of the accident. Get contact information for anyone who may have witnessed your job-related injury. If you were injured on the job by a piece of equipment and machinery, make sure it is preserved as evidence. Contact an experienced LAÂ workers’ compensation attorney who will help compile the necessary evidence and help you secure maximum monetary support for the injuries and damages you have sustained.