Riverside & San Bernardino Workers' Compensation Attorneys

Responsibility for Workplace Safety

Employers have the responsibility of providing employees with a safe environment. This includes ensuring that equipment and tools are properly maintained and that employees are furnished with protective gear when needed. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, establishes the guidelines for each type of business and conducts periodic inspections to ascertain whether the required standards are followed. Employers who violate safety guidelines can be severely punished. 

In spite of all possible safety precautions, there is always the potential for an accident to occur. Illnesses can also arise due to exposure to chemicals or products that were not previously considered hazardous. When the worst happens, serious injuries or deaths can result.  

While OSHA sets the standards that employers should follow, each state administers its own Workers Compensation program for most employees. Federal employees are generally not covered by the state. Instead, one of four federal programs will typically apply. These are the Merchant Marine Act, the Black Lung Benefits Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, and the Federal Employment Liability Act. 

Riverside & San Bernardino Workers Compensation Benefits

Workers Comp payments can help replace lost wages due to work-related illness or injury. In California, payments for temporary disability claims are capped at two-thirds of average, normal income (subject to current maximum limits), beginning after the third day. Permanent disabilities may be either partial or complete, and coverage may be provided as either monthly benefits or a lump-sum payment. The specifics of each case determine the settlement method. Payments received under the California Workers Compensation program are not subject to tax. 

In addition to wages, workers also qualify for necessary medical expenses that are related to the illness or injury. Such services include doctors' visits, surgical procedures, prescriptions, laboratory tests and hospital services. Dental, chiropractic, nursing services and physical or occupational therapists' charges are also covered if related to the injury or illness. Necessary medical equipment, such as hearing aids and crutches, are included in the program as well. 

Those who were financially dependent on a Workers Comp recipient who becomes deceased may be eligible for a death benefit. Such benefits are not reserved for only the children and spouse of the worker. Instead, any member of the deceased worker's household who relied upon him or her for support may be eligible. 

Covered Incidences

While many injuries happen while the employee is on duty, injuries that occur in the normal course of the employee's workday may also be covered. Normally, the commute between home and work is not eligible, but an employee traveling on company business or running an errand on behalf of the employer may be covered. The employee must be operating in the normal scope or course of his duties. Injuries may be a single, specific trauma or result from a series of repetitive actions.  

Illnesses that are directly related to the job are also covered under Workers Compensation laws. These can be occupational illnesses, such as mesothelioma, or the result of an industrial accident, such as a toxic spill. Just as an injury, an illness may be deemed eligible if resulting from the employee's normal job duties. One example would be an outside sales rep who suffers respiratory damage from a poisonous gas leak at a client's site. 

Retraining of Injured Employees

If an injury makes it impossible for an employee to continue to work in the same position held prior to the injury, he may be eligible or required to attend vocational training. This enables the disabled person to return to be gainfully employed in a job which his injury does not prevent him from performing. For example, a warehouse worker whose back injury makes it impossible for him to stand or lift might receive training to perform a sedentary job such as dispatcher. 

Seeking Medical Help for Work-Related Conditions

The goal of the insurance companies managing Workers Comp claims is to control expenses. It is not uncommon for them to resist paying claims by making it difficult for an injured worker to receive approval. For this reason, it is preferable to rely on your own physician rather than one recommended by the insurer or employer. However, you may be required to obtain an opinion from a doctor who is affiliated with one or both of them. If you are ordered to do so and fail to comply, your benefits could be reduced or canceled. 

Advantages of Consulting with a Riveride & San Bernardino Workers Compensation Benefits Attorney

California laws related to the workplace and Workers Compensation are extensive and complex. In addition to legislation involving direct financial compensation for lost wages, there is also the potential for an employer to be held criminally liable and subject to a personal injury suit. A Workers Compensation benefits attorney has the expertise to guide you through the legal maze so that you receive all methods of compensation to which you are entitled. Most lawyers charge a percentage for their work on these cases, meaning that they do not get paid unless they secure a payment for you. Consulting a Workers Compensation benefits attorney when you are first injured or when there is a change in your award can be the best solution to your problem.

Free Riverside & San Bernardino Workers Compensation Workers' Compensation Review 1-800-801-1569

As your California workers' compensation lawyer, we provide Free telephone, home or hospital consultations. We provide evening and weekend appointments. We have offices throughout California for your convenience. We have successfully resolved thousands of cases.

How much does it Cost to Hire the Riverside & San Bernardino Workers' Compensation Attorneys?

We only get paid if we win your case. This means that if we do not recover money for you, you don’t pay attorneys’ fees. We get paid when you get paid. We will fight hard to get you the care you need and compensation you deserve, contact us today.

We Serve all of Inland Empire including San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Montclair, Pomona, Redlands, Corona, and all other cities in Inland Empire.