The Worker’s Compensation Guide to Recovery
At Joe, Southard and Yeoh LLP our attorneys focus on Workers’ Compensation laws and how they affect the Los Angeles, CA working community. When employees show up for work each day – no matter their industry – there is a legal expectation of safety connected to their employment. No employee should be expected to perform work duties in an unsafe environment.
Your Employer’s Legal Obligation
When employers do not uphold certain safety standards, and their employees are hurt as a result, someone must pay for their oversight.
In the state of California, all employers with a minimum number of employees, are required by law to either:
- Purchase Workers’ Compensation insurance policies from licensed insurers who are authorized to write policies in the California
- Legally qualify to become self-insured
Employers who are required to carry Worker’s Compensation coverage and fail to do so are subject to a criminal offense that can include fines, imprisonment or both. If you or a loved one suffers a work-related injury or illness and your employer is not insured – or is illegally insured – they are breaking the law.
When you have suffered a work related injury, payments can include:
- Lost wages and benefits
- Long and short-term medical treatment
- Temporary disability and/or permanent disability payments
- Death benefits
Know Your Rights as an Employee
Getting hurt at work can happen to anyone, in any occupation. While some injuries are immediately debilitating, some at-work injuries can negatively influence your health, well being, and livelihood over time.
The most common causes of injury in the workplace include:
- Slip and fall
- Repetitive motion/duties (i.e. carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive back strain)
- Machinery accident
- Fall from heights
- Chemical injury or burn
- Struck by an object
- Car accident while working
- Workplace violence
- Inhalation or chemical exposure (i.e. asbestosis, obstructive lung disease)
When an employer in the state of California hires you, it is their legal duty to provide a printed Workers’ Compensation handout explaining your rights and responsibilities.
Once an employer has notice of an injury or a work related illness, either immediately or over time, the employer is obligated to:
- Provide a Workers’ Compensation Claim Form within one working day of the reported injury
- Return a completed copy of the Claim Form to the employee within one working day of its receipt
- Authorize up to $10,000 in medical treatment within one working day of the claims receipt
- Provide light duty, when necessary
While the claims process seems straightforward, the California workers’ compensation system is complex. Injured workers are often denied benefits they otherwise may be entitled to.
Our Attorneys Can Help
At Joe, Southard and Yeoh LLP, our Los Angeles, CA Workers’ Compensation attorneys focus on helping our clients recover fully, beginning with the initial claim.
Our attorneys concentrate on:
- Resolving disagreements over your claim, including non-payment and denial of medical treatment
- Recovering the necessary wages and benefits lost due to the injury
- Ensuring appropriate medical treatment is received
- Assisting you with returning to work after your injury, if possible
Dedicated and Experienced Legal Representation Equals Absolute Results
With 45 years of combined experience, our firm is dedicated to keeping the employees in Los Angeles, CA protected by enforcing Workers’ Compensation laws. With nearly five million people working in our city, we take an individualized approach to each case and proactively fight for you. Call our committed attorney group today at (424) 325-2205 to find out how we can help get you on the path to recovery.
We offer a free no-obligation initial consultation to help you evaluate your claim. We assist English, Spanish and Mandarin speaking clients.
