Riverside & San Bernardino Workers' Comp for Long-Term Disability

Since every state requires most businesses to have workers' compensation insurance, it is likely that you are protected under such a plan. This is very important given that your job is likely your sole source of income. If you were to become disabled due to a workplace incident, workers' compensation insurance may be your only opportunity to replace that lost income due to your inability to work. This is even more important in situations where a workplace injury forces someone out of work for significant periods of time. Most people have enough savings to weather temporary periods without sustained employment, but that money could quickly be exhausted without another source of income. Thus, it is imperative to understand the procedures involved in filing a workers' compensation claim and the benefits to which you are entitled as an injured employee.

The first step in filing such a claim is to be examined by a doctor to determine the extent of the injury and the permanence of any damage. With a proper diagnosis, a more accurate estimate can be made as to how long a person will be unable to work. With this information, an insurer can determine an appropriate amount of money to offer to the injured employee. Usually, this money is given as a lump-sum payment. But under certain circumstances where the injured party is permanently incapacitated and unlikely to work in the future on account of that injury, more regular payments may be made.

In order to facilitate this process, it is very important that the injured worker is honest with both the employer and the insurance company as to the circumstances of the accident that led to the injury and the symptoms under which the injured worker is suffering. Once a decision has been made as to the amount of compensation an injured work will receive, the possibility of amending that decision in the future is remote, even if there were extenuating circumstances that you failed to report during the review period. And, of course, outright lying to a doctor or the insurance company about your injuries may lead to a rejection of your claim and perhaps even criminal charges.

That being said, all Riverside & San Bernardino workers' compensation claims are unique and there are many nuances that may only be understood by attorneys experienced in workers' compensation claims. Therefore, it is imperative that you consult a lawyer when you have suffered a long-term injury on the job in order to ensure that you received everything to which you are entitled.