California Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Irvine Workers’ Compensation Attorney
You went to work one day recently like you have every other day for years now. You didn’t really think about anything special other than what you had to do that day, when you’d be finished working and perhaps what you were going to do when you went home that night. You got your start to your day and you were doing what you always do, when suddenly, you slipped and fell onto a hard floor. You were so surprised that you didn’t even have time to break your fall, and you landed directly on your back and head. As it turned out, a pipe in the ceiling had started leaking minutes before you walked by, and no one had a chance to clean up the mess before you encountered it. Now what?
You found yourself in the hospital with head and back injuries, and the doctor has just told you that you were going to need surgery on your back and more tests for a possible traumatic brain injury. The situation has quickly become surreal. You couldn’t imagine the losses you were going to face. Where do you start with your recovery? How would you get past all of this? How were you going to pay bills while you were unable to work? All of these thoughts rushed through your head, and you may still be worried about these things. If so, contact a California workers’ compensation attorney at Montevideo Law, P.C. for help as soon as possible.
You Are Far From Alone
Your workers’ compensation lawyer from Montevideo Law, P.C. will be able to help guide you through the claims process so that you give yourself the best opportunity to recover the benefits you need and deserve. The firm has handled countless cases like yours, and that’s due in large part to the reputation the attorneys at the firm have earned. It also has something to do with the enormous number of workplace injuries that take place every year in California.
We’d like for you to understand that you are now part of a large and unfortunate group of people who have been forced to deal with the workers’ compensation system in the state because of a serious injury. We’re going to do so by showing you some statistics that better describe the scope of this ongoing problem. The Department of Industrial Relations, or DIR, in California, tracks statistics relating to workers’ compensation claims. Overall, more than 621,000 people filed injury claims with the state in 2016. Below you’ll find some additional data relating to the 2016 calendar year.
| Body Part | Number of First injury Reports | Percentage - First Injury Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Back | 72,482 | 12 |
| Multiple Body Parts | 57,918 | 9 |
| Finger(s) | 51,072 | 8 |
| Knee | 41,617 | 7 |
| Hand (not wrist/fingers) | 37,008 | 6 |
| Shoulder(s) | 36,918 | 6 |
| Wrist | 25,285 | 4 |
| Ankle | 21,957 | 4 |
| Eye(s) | 20,239 | 3 |
| Foot | 19,649 | 3 |
| Cause of Injury | Number of First Injury Reports | Percentage - First Injury Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Lifting | 57,867 | 9 |
| Miscellaneous | 48,349 | 8 |
| Strain or Injury, Not Categorized | 44,980 | 7 |
| Repetitive Motion | 32,415 | 5 |
| Fall, Slip, Trip, Not Categorized | 30,727 | 5 |
| Cumulative, Not Categorized | 26,900 | 4 |
| Fall/Slip On Same Level | 26,343 | 4 |
| Injury from Pushing/Pulling | 22,905 | 4 |
| Cut, Puncture, Scrape | 22,460 | 4 |
| Struck By Object | 20,863 | 3 |
| Nature of Injury | Number of First Injury Reports | Percentage - First Injury Report |
|---|---|---|
| Strain or Tear | 188,374 | 34 |
| Contusion | 75,837 | 14 |
| Sprain or Tear | 59,778 | 11 |
| Laceration | 61,888 | 11 |
| All Others | 51,379 | 9 |
| Puncture | 22,794 | 4 |
| Inflammation | 14,852 | 3 |
| Fracture | 15,853 | 3 |
| Foreign Body | 12,421 | 2 |
| Burn | 9,741 | 2 |
Types of Benefits Available
As soon as you are injured at work or you discover that an injury you suffered was work-related, you need to fill out a claim form that your employer should provide for you. This will get the process of obtaining benefits started. In terms of the types of benefits available, there are several. These include:
- Medical benefits
- Temporary disability
- Permanent disability
- Vocational rehabilitation or training
- Return to work fund
- Death benefits
- Compensable consequences
Some or many of these may not sound familiar, but each is in place to deal with specific situations that can arise if you have been injured at work or you’ve lost a loved one. You should seek the advice of a California workers’ compensation lawyer if this happens to you so you can obtain an idea of the types of benefits you may be able to recover.
California Workers’ Compensation – Potential Problems
Workers’ compensation claims in California follow a very defined system that is set out by state law. That generally means that you will be facing a lot of potential red tape and technicalities. Unfortunately, that also means that a lot of different things can go wrong as you pursue your benefits. Some of these problems are caused by the injured workers and others are caused by the employers. Below are some examples of problems that could arise with your claim:
You don’t report the injury in a timely manner.
- You don’t complete the forms properly.
- You don’t include all relevant medical information.
- The doctor says your injury is not related to work.
- The employer stalls the process.
- Your claim is denied incorrectly.
- The insurance company engages in bad faith practices.
Managing a California workers’ compensation claim is a lot for anyone to handle, particularly someone who is already fighting to overcome a serious injury.
Call an Irvine Workers’ Compensation Lawyer – Let Montevideo Law, P.C. Help
If you have been injured at work or you’ve lost someone you love while he or she was on the job, seek the help of experienced California workers’ compensation lawyers who understand the ins and outs of this process and how to fight for the proper results for clients. Contact Montevideo Law, P.C. today to schedule a free initial consultation.
