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If you are unable to work as a result of an injury or illness that took place on the job in Thousand Oaks, you may be eligible for workers' compensation benefits. When a workplace injury occurs, you may find yourself missing out on paychecks, accumulating medical bills, and being overwhelmed with paperwork. This can be a very stressful and uncertain time.
Fortunately, California law protects workers from negative fallout related to job 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 employees from job-related injuries and illness. It offers a safeguard 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 dangerous, and it should not be the responsibility of the employee to deal with all the repercussions that come with an injury.
Under the California Workers' Compensation Act, people who are injured at work can receive various kinds 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 accident. However, injured workers can not recover compensation for damages normally granted in a personal injury case.
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 becomes injured. 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 a production line.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents are among the most common on-the-job injuries. They represent 25% of yearly injury claims, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Falls at work involve 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 a person is struck by something or runs into something. This can include a worker being struck by a moving object, running into or being pushed in front of an object, being crushed in equipment, or being caught in cable or rope. It might also include incidents like a worker being struck or crushed by collapsing structures, equipment, or materials.
Workers' Comp May Also Cover Occupational Illnesses
In addition to being hurt, workers can also get sick with an illness because of their job. When this happens, workers compensation insurance is designed to help cover some of the expenses.
Job-related illnesses include diseases that arise from hazardous work environments or workplace exposures. Some typical illnesses that occur on the job include:
Cases involving work-related illness are complicated for a number of different reasons. 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 happened during your personal time. This is further complicated by the fact that many illnesses develop gradually, which makes them harder to notice and to determine the origin.
What Should I Do if I Am Hurt at Work?
If you become injured during your employment, you need to always report the accident, injury, or condition as soon as possible to your employer. This is important even if an injury appears minor. This, because injuries that appear small at first can become much more serious in the coming days or weeks.
For example, an injury that may feel like just a strained muscle can turn out to be a symptom of permanent nerve damage. Or a sore low back from lifting a heavy object could be a disc herniation that needs surgery.
Furthermore, you should always have a job-related injury evaluated by a doctor. This is the only way to figure out the extent of your injury, and what can be done to recover. This is particularly important for stress or repetitive motion injuries. In this case, making changes in the ergonomic environment might not only heal the injury, but help to prevent injuries to others. Furthermore, to protect the long-term ability of an employee to maintain and carry on in their job.
Finally, waiting too long to report an injury on the job might seize your right to claim any kind of workers' compensation benefits.
Should You Contact a Thousand Oaks Workplace Injury Attorney?
Consequently, if you suffer an on-the-job injury in Thousand Oaks, contact the Thousand Oaks personal injury lawyers at Drake Law Firm. Do not go through these hard times alone. We are here to help you with your case. We know the causes and impacts of work accidents and injuries. Additionally, we know the laws and regulations related to workers' compensation in California and will work to maximize the compensation you receive.
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