If you are not able to work due to an injury or illness that occurred on the job in Glendale, you may be qualified for workers' compensation benefits. When a workplace injury occurs, you might find yourself losing out on paychecks, accumulating medical bills, and being overwhelmed with paperwork. This can be a very stressful and uncertain time.
Fortunately, California law protects workers from negative fallout related to job injuries by requiring companies to carry workers compensation insurance.
What is Workers’ Compensation and How Does It Work?
Workers' compensation is a type of insurance that is purchased by a company to protect their employees from job-related injuries and illness. It offers a safety net for injured workers to ensure they are not left with no job and no money while trying to recover from an injury. Some jobs can be hazardous, and it shouldn't be the responsibility of the worker to deal with all the consequences that come with an injury.
Under the California Workers' Compensation Act, people who are hurt on the job can get different kinds of financial support to cover their injury-related expenses. This includes:
Unlike a personal injury case, workers can receive benefits regardless of being at fault for a job-related incident. However, injured workers can not recover compensation for damages normally awarded in a personal injury claim.
Common Causes of Workplace Injuries
The top three leading causes of work-related injuries account for more than 84% of all nonfatal injuries on the job. This includes:
Overexertion and Repetitive Motion Injuries
Overexertion injuries can happen when a worker uses excessive physical effort to do a job and gets hurt. This includes lifting, pushing, turning, holding, carrying, or throwing.
Repetitive motion triggered by stress or strain on some part of the body is because of the repetitive nature of the job. Common repetitive tasks include lifting boxes, typing on a computer, using a ten-key machine, sitting for long hours, and working on an assembly line.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents are among the most frequent on-the-job injuries. They make up 25% of annual injury claims, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Falls on the job involve falling from slippery floors, from tripping, and from heights like ladders, roofs, scaffolding, or various other structures.
Injuries from Contact with Equipment and Objects
Contact with equipment and objects refers to injuries that occur when an individual is hit by something or runs into something. This can include a worker being struck by a moving object, running into or being pushed in front of an object, being crushed in equipment, or being caught in wire or rope. It might also include incidents like a worker being struck or crushed by collapsing structures, equipment, or materials.
Workers' Comp Can Also Cover Occupational Illnesses
Along with being hurt, employees can also get sick with an illness because of their job. When this happens, workers compensation insurance is designed to help cover some of the expenses.
Job-related illnesses include diseases that arise from dangerous work environments or workplace exposures. Some typical illnesses that occur at work include:
Cases involving occupational illness are complicated for a number of different factors. One of the main reasons is that you will have to prove that your illness was caused by your job, and not from some other factor like genetics or something that occurred during your personal time. This is further complicated by the fact that many illnesses develop over time, which makes them harder to recognize and to determine the origin.
What Should I Do If I Am Injured at Work?
If you become hurt in the course of your employment, you need to always report the incident, injury, or illness as soon as possible to your employer. This is important even if an injury seems minor. This, because injuries that seem minor at first can become much more serious in the coming days or weeks.
For example, an injury that might seem like only a strained muscle can turn out to be a sign of long-term nerve damage. Or a sore lower back from lifting a heavy object could be a disc herniation that needs surgery.
Further, you should always have a job-related injury examined by a doctor. This is the only way to find out the extent of your injury, and what can be done to recover. This is particularly important for stress or repetitive motion injuries. Here, making changes in the ergonomic environment may not only cure the injury, but help to prevent injuries to others. Furthermore, to preserve the long-term ability of a worker to maintain and carry on in his or her job.
Finally, waiting too long to report an injury on the job may foreclose your right to claim any workers' compensation benefits.
Should You Contact a Glendale Workers' Compensation Attorney?
Consequently, if sustain an on-the-job injury in Glendale, contact the Glendale personal injury lawyers at Tim D. Wright. Don't go through these difficult times alone. We are here to assist you with your case. We know the causes and impacts of job accidents and injuries. Additionally, we know the laws and regulations related to workers' compensation in California and will work to maximize the compensation you receive.
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