Workers Compensation Attorney in San Diego
If you have suffered a work injury, you may be eligible to collect money to compensate you for medical treatment, as well as lost wages due to time off from work. These funds are paid by your employer’s insurance company. This is called workers’ compensation. To get compensated for you work injury the way you deserve, you need help from experienced Workers Compensation Attorneys.
Workers Compensation Lawyer in San Diego
The workers’ compensation system was designed to provide benefits to workers that become injured during the course of their job, without having to prove that the employer or coworkers were at fault. The idea is that workers have certain rights, simply by being employees and performing duties for the employer. If employees are injured while performing their job duties, they are entitled to medical treatment and financial compensation for time spent away from the job.
Typically, workers who are injured on the job may receive compensation to pay for:
- Medical bills
- Future or ongoing medical care
- Lost wages due to time away from work
- Pain and suffering
Unfortunately, claiming workers’ compensation benefits is not always straightforward or easy. Insurance companies are more profitable when they pay out fewer claims. In today’s tough economy, increased profits create a strong incentive for insurance companies to deny workers’ compensation claims. And, just like with any other type of insurance, the more claims that are filed, the higher the insurance premiums rise. Therefore, employers also have financial incentives to deny claims in order to keep their insurance premiums lower.
Work Comp Attorney in San Diego
Employers and insurance companies are also extremely cautious about workers’ compensation fraud. Fraud occurs when an employee invents an injury or exaggerates the seriousness of an injury in order to receive a large monetary payout. Workers’ comp fraud is a serious offense against the law. Because fraud it has become so prevalent, employers and insurers are often skeptical about the legitimacy of workers’ compensation claims, leading to many claims being denied and injured workers left to ask questions such as, “How will I ever get my life back?” and “What do I do now?”
Work Comp Lawyer in San Diego
Your best chance of getting your legitimate workers’ comp claim approved is to hire skilled Workers Compensation Attorneys from the Golden State Workers Compensation team, which includes experienced San Diego Longshore Attorneys. Our work comp lawyers can help file your claim the proper way, and bolster your case so you have the best chance of receiving the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve. If your claim is denied, our denied cases lawyer in San Diego or delayed cases lawyer, also in San Diego, will appeal that decision in the court system and represent you at hearings.
Workers Comp Attorney in San Diego
Professional disability attorneys in San Diego at the Golden State Workers Compensation have handled thousands of workers’ comp cases. Chances are, they’ve seen a case just like yours, and they can stand beside you to help you through the often confusing and intimidating legal process.
Employee Rights
Understand your rights as an employee in California. Laws and regulations in the state provide every worker with specific rights associated with workers compensation. These allow for appropriate medical care and financial payouts if you get hurt or otherwise suffer from some physical or mental injury at work. It is important to know this fact and how to get help if something happens to you. After all, not every employer will want to accept your claim and provide compensation without challenging it.
As with all rights, ones associated with employees come with certain obligations. These are the rules you should follow if you want to make a workers compensation claim. Failure to do any of these things can damage the possibility of you receiving money to cover medical care, ongoing treatment, and lost wages.
One of the most important criteria includes telling your employer as soon as possible after the injury happens. Of course, you should get medical care first. Then, make sure the company or owner knows what happened, how it affected you, and when the incident took place. In the case of stress injuries that come from repeated activities such as lifting heavy boxes every day, tell your employer the moment you understand that an injury or long-term problem has occurred. You have 30 days legally to tell them. If you wait longer than that, California workers compensation rules state that you may not get benefits after all.
Besides informing your employer, one of the first things you should do when you realize you have been injured at work is to contact a reputable attorney or law firm who provides workers comp services. We are available for your questions or to schedule an initial consultation at any time.
Appropriate Medical Treatment Is a Right
State law states that any employee who is hurt on the job must receive proper medical attention from an in-provider physician. The company has only one day to authorize treatment after you file a claim that states you were injured, when, and how. You can expect that the company and its insurance provider will investigate your claim quite close. However, they cannot stop you from seeking medical help.
How much financial compensation can you get from an employee claim?
In California, you can be compensated for up to $10,000 of medical costs. If the injury results in a temporary disability, the law makes it possible to get two thirds of your regular salary in payments during the time the disability lasts. If your medical team determines that you are permanently disabled, you can file for these payments. The amount you get for permanent disability depends on many different factors. You will receive these benefits permanently even if you one day start working again.
Another important rule in California stops your employer from retaliating against you just because you filed for workers compensation. They are not allowed to use that as a reason to fire you, reduce your salary or benefits, or do anything else that would be considered retaliatory.
Besides following all necessary rules about informing your employer, you should also hire an attorney as soon as possible. Workers compensation cases include a lot of complicated requirements, a potentially long period of investigation, and many unique types of documentation filed correctly. An experienced lawyer can help you navigate the entire process and increases your chances of having a positive outcome.
Experienced Workers Compensation Attorneys in San Diego
Your health and financial future is at stake! Don’t leave things to chance, or hope that the state system will come through for you. Protect your rights by getting the experienced workers’ compensation lawyers at the Golden State Workers Compensation’s joint marketing program in your corner. Our well-versed workers compensation lawyer in San Diego will aggressively defend your rights and help secure the benefits you deserve.
Call the Golden State Workers Compensation at 619.415.0097 for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our work comp attorneys about your case.