Some people may have particularly dangerous jobs. Others may think they are completely safe at work. The truth is workplace injuries can happen anywhere. Even though some professions may place employees in harm’s way more often than others, every profession has the potential to create a workplace injury.
Employers have a responsibility to keep their employees as safe as possible while they perform the duties of their jobs. If they do not, and you can show that negligence on the part of your employer led to your injury, you have the potential to receive compensation.
With a Los Angeles work injury lawyer on your side, you will have the best opportunity to receive fair treatment. The team at the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm knows how to apply California’s workers’ compensation laws to these types of cases, helping you to establish the validity of your claim. If you’ve been injured at work, call us at (800) 529-9122 as soon as possible.
What Should I Do When I Suffer a Work Injury?
According to the California Department of Industrial Relations, there are a handful of steps that you should take after suffering an injury at work to remain in compliance with the state’s workers’ compensation laws.
Receive Treatment
See a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment for your injuries. You can either see your personal doctor after the accident or, in the case of a serious accident, you may need to seek immediate emergency treatment.
When you visit the hospital or your doctor’s office, mention that your injury occurred while you were on the job. This will start the process of filing a workers’ compensation claim.
Contact Your Employer
If your employer was unaware of your injury at work, you need to notify them as soon as possible. If you do not notify your employer, you could lose your right to file a workers’ compensation claim.
Under California law, you need to report the injury within a 30-day window to remain in compliance.
Ongoing Treatment
Under California law, you may receive ongoing treatment from your doctor of choice if you have predesignated that doctor as part of your workers’ compensation paperwork. If not, you may have to see your employer’s doctor.
Disagreement About Injuries
If you and the administrator of the workers’ compensation claim for your employer have a disagreement about the nature and seriousness of your injuries, the case goes to a QME, or qualified medical evaluator, who will make the final determination regarding the best way to go forward.
You may want representation from a trusted Los Angeles work injury lawyer at this stage, ensuring you receive the fairest possible treatment from the QME. Additionally, your attorney could argue that the case should be referred to a different doctor for evaluation, called an AME, or agreed medical evaluator. For a free case review, contact the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm.
What Types of Injuries Fit Under Workers’ Compensation?
Because injuries can happen in any line of work, the types of injuries a workers’ compensation claim could involve are nearly endless.
Burn Injuries
Some types of work involve multiple types of chemicals or sources of flames. In an accident, the employee could suffer significant burns, either from a fire or from chemicals.
Car Crash Injuries
If you suffer an injury in a car accident while driving for your employer, you will have the opportunity to qualify for workers’ compensation. You could be a commercial driver or simply going to a store to pick up equipment, and you will still qualify for workers’ compensation.
Crushing Injuries
In a factory or warehouse setting, workers could suffer a crushing injury. This could involve having objects fall on the victim or having a limb get caught in a machine.
Crushing injuries have the potential to be life-changing, possibly resulting in an amputation or in significant injuries to internal organs.
Environmental Injuries
Workplace injuries can occur in an office building, such as wet stairs leading to a slip and fall, a loose rug or carpet that causes a trip, or debris on a sidewalk that causes a stumble.
Carpel tunnel syndrome or repetitive stress injuries could fit into this category as well.
Fall Injuries
At a construction site, workers often are performing their jobs at a great height. A fall could cause long-term injuries or even a fatality.
A fall injury also could include slipping on a roof while doing repairs, falling into a hole at a job site, or falling from a ladder while painting.
Long-Term Exposure Injuries
If an employee received exposure to a chemical or other dangerous substance over time, he or she may develop a long-term injury or illness that fits under workers’ compensation, like cancer.
For a free legal consultation with a Work Injury Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 529-9122
Benefits for a Work-Related Injury
Once you begin a workers’ compensation claim, you have the opportunity to receive awards for a variety of items. The severity of the injury will play a role in determining exactly how much you could receive in compensation. Some of the potential work injury benefits you could receive include:
- Compensation for missed work time, both now and in the future
- Costs for medical bills
- Awards for long-term disability and disfigurement
- Awards for pain and suffering
Should the workplace injury result in a fatality, the loved ones of the victim have the right to seek compensation as well.
Los Angeles Work Injury Lawyer Near Me (800) 529-9122
We Will Work Tirelessly to Help You Receive a Fair Settlement
When you suffer an injury at work, you expect that your employer and the workers’ compensation system will treat you fairly. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.
While you are trying to heal from your injuries, you may not want to also be trying to deal with requests from insurance companies. That is where a Los Angeles work injury lawyer can help. Our team will negotiate with the workers’ compensation insurance company on your behalf, giving you the time you need to heal.
Call the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 529-9122. We are ready to fight for your right to receive compensation. Because we work on a contingency fee basis, we do not accept payment ahead of time for our services.
Call or text (800) 529-9122 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
