In a better world, workers compensation would probably be more or less automatic. If you’re hurt on the job, your employer immediately gets you medical care. Then, workers compensation pays you until you’re back on your feet, so to speak. Should you be hurt longer, the workers compensation pays for that, too. This would all be a smooth process that the worker could initiate and facilitate all on their own. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in. Even in California, a state with better workers compensation laws than most, a workers compensation settlement lawyer is a necessity when you’re hurt on the job. In this blog, we’ll go over some facts about workers compensation that you may be unaware of.
Thoughts from a Workers Compensation Settlement Lawyer
The moments right after you’re injured at work are crucial. The most important thing as soon as it happens is to get medical attention. That could mean calling 911, it could mean going to an emergency room right away. By that same token, it could also mean putting some ice on your hand, or just taking it easy at work the rest of the day. No matter how extensive (or slight) your injury on the job is, your employer must provide you with medical care. That’s true if you miss several months of time, and it’s true if you stove your finger and are sore for a while. Workers compensation is there for you.
Even if It’s Your Fault
Imagine: you’re at work, doing your job. The boss asks you to move some boxes into storage. This isn’t always a part of your job, but you’re looking to help out. You pick up one of the boxes, you carry it towards storage… and you drop the box on your foot. Unfortunately, the box was quite heavy. Your foot is injured, you move with a limp (when you can move at all). This may seem like the kind of scenario where you aren’t eligible for workers compensation because, after all, you dropped the box. It could be argued that this was your fault… and that’s OK. Even if you were at fault, you can receive benefits for your job-related injury. Workers compensation doesn’t go by “who was at fault.” You were on the job, you were doing your job, and you were injured – that’s all that’s necessary for a workers compensation claim.
Independent Contactors
Many of the jobs that Californians have now are as “independent contractors.” With the rise of job apps and online jobs, more and more employees are independent contractors. If you’re an independent contractor, you may not seem like you’re eligible for workers compensation. However, you can still get workers compensation if you’re an independent contractor. It can still cover you. This is a bit of a murkier area than a regular employee. Again, this is the sort of situation that a workers compensation lawyer can help with. If you have any doubts that you may be eligible for workers compensation, an attorney can help to clear this up and get you what you deserve.
Taking Care of You
The time after you’re injured on the job isn’t easy. You may have to recover and rehab from your injury. Even if you’re surrounded by people in your life who love you very much, the road ahead can be difficult. With so much going on, it can be hard to focus on what matters most: your recovery. That’s where our law group can come in. We take care of your case. We take care of the paperwork, the deadlines, and all other steps of the process. By lifting this burden from your shoulders, we allow you to place your focus where it should belong.
Of course, that being said, we always keep communication open with our clients. After all, as your legal representation, we have a responsibility to make sure that you’re fully aware of your rights. Much of our job is educating our clients. We firmly believe that the more knowledgeable our clients are, the better they’ll be able to make decisions regarding their own case. So, we keep you in the loop. It’s one more way that we can get you the workers compensation that you deserve.
The sheer amount of medical bills that can accumulate in the wake of a work injury can be staggering. Doctors visits, medicines, physical therapy, diagnostics, to say nothing of travel – it can add up dizzyingly fast. Medical care is just one of the many different kinds of benefits that we can help you to receive compensation for. There are many others. When you schedule a free consultation with us, we’ll go over your case and plan the best way to proceed. To set up an initial meeting, send us a message through our site or call us at (818) 975-3080
