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If you are unable to work due to an injury or illness that happened at work in Reseda, you may be qualified for workers' compensation benefits. When a workplace injury happens, you might find yourself losing out on paychecks, accumulating medical bills, and being overwhelmed with paperwork. This can be a very difficult and uncertain time.
Thankfully, California law protects workers from negative fallout related to work injuries by requiring employers to carry workers compensation insurance.
What is Workers’ Compensation and How Does It Work?
Workers' compensation is a type of insurance that is purchased by a company to protect their workers from job-related injuries and illness. It provides a safety net for injured workers to ensure they are not left with no job and no money while trying to recuperate from an injury. Some jobs can be hazardous, and it shouldn't be the responsibility of the employee to handle all the consequences that come with an injury.
Under the California Workers' Compensation Act, people who are hurt on the job can get various types of financial support to cover their injury-related expenses. This includes:
Unlike a personal injury case, workers can receive benefits despite being at fault for a work-related incident. However, injured employees can not recover compensation for damages normally awarded in a personal injury claim.
Common Causes of Workplace Injuries
The top three leading causes of work-related injuries account for more than 84% of all nonfatal injuries at work. This includes:
Overexertion and Repetitive Motion Injuries
Overexertion injuries can occur when a worker uses excessive physical effort to do a task and gets hurt. This includes lifting, pushing, turning, holding, carrying, or throwing.
Repetitive motion triggered by stress or strain on some part of the body is because of the repetitive nature of the job. Common repetitive tasks include lifting boxes, typing on a computer, using a ten-key machine, sitting for long hours, and working on an assembly line.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents are one of the most frequent on-the-job injuries. They account for 25% of yearly injury claims, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Falls on the job include falling from slippery floors, from tripping, and from heights like ladders, roofs, scaffolding, or various other structures.
Injuries from Contact with Equipment and Objects
Contact with equipment and objects refers to injuries that happen when an individual is hit by something or bumps into something. This can include a worker being struck by a moving object, bumping into or being pushed in front of an object, being crushed in equipment, or being caught in cable or rope. It may also include accidents like an employee being struck or crushed by collapsing structures, equipment, or materials.
Workers' Comp May Also Cover Occupational Illnesses
Along with being injured, workers can also get sick with an illness due to their job. When this happens, workers compensation insurance is designed to help cover some of the expenses.
Work-related illnesses include diseases that arise from hazardous work environments or workplace exposures. Some common illnesses that occur on the job include:
Cases involving occupational illness are complex for a few different factors. One of the main reasons is that you will need to prove that your illness was caused by your job, and not from some other factor like genetics or something that occurred during your personal time. This is further complicated by the fact that a lot of illnesses develop gradually, which makes them harder to recognize and to identify the origin.
What Should I Do If I Am Injured on the Job?
If you become hurt during your employment, you should always report the accident, injury, or condition as soon as possible to your employer. This is necessary even if an injury appears minor. This, because injuries that appear small in the beginning can become much more severe in the coming days or weeks.
For instance, an injury that might seem like only a strained muscle can turn out to be a symptom of long-term nerve damage. Or a sore lower back from lifting a heavy object could be a disc herniation that requires surgery.
Furthermore, you should always have a work-related injury assessed by a doctor. This is the only way to find out the extent of your injury, and what can be done to recuperate. This is particularly important for stress or repetitive motion injuries. Here, making changes in the ergonomic environment may not only heal the injury, but help to prevent injuries to others. Further, to protect the long-term ability of a worker to maintain and carry on in their job.
Lastly, waiting too long to report an injury on the job may foreclose your right to claim any kind of workers' compensation benefits.
Should You Contact a Reseda Workers' Compensation Attorney?
Consequently, if you suffer an on-the-job injury in Reseda, contact the Reseda personal injury attorneys at Drake Law Firm. Don't go through these hard times alone. We are here to help you with your case. We understand the causes and impacts of job accidents and injuries. Also, we know the laws and regulations associated with workers' compensation in California and will work to make the most of the compensation you receive.
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