If you are not able to work as a result of an injury or illness that occurred on the job in Glendale, you might be qualified for workers' compensation benefits. When a workplace injury happens, you may find yourself losing out on paychecks, accumulating medical bills, and being overwhelmed with paperwork. This can be an extremely difficult 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 an employer to protect their employees from job-related injuries and illness. It offers a safety net for injured employees so that 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 employee to handle all the consequences that come with an injury.
Under the California Workers' Compensation Act, individuals that are injured on the job can receive various kinds of financial support to cover their injury-related expenses. This includes:
Unlike a personal injury case, workers can qualify for benefits regardless of being at fault for a job-related incident. However, injured workers can not recover compensation for damages typically awarded in a personal injury claim.
Have You Been Injured on the Job?
Accidents and injuries occur anywhere, even on the job. This is especially true in certain occupations and industries, such as:
But the truth is, accidents can happen even in relatively tame work environments.
For instance, even an office worker can be injured on the job. Sitting at a computer all day can develop injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome or vision problems. Or there could be a slippery floor or a staircase that can cause a fall. If these injuries go without proper medical attention, they can result in further more severe injuries down the road.
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 occur when a worker uses excessive physical effort to do a task 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 due to the repetitive nature of the task. Common repetitive tasks include lifting boxes, typing on a computer, using a ten-key machine, sitting for long hours, and working on a production line.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common on-the-job injuries. They represent 25% of annual injury cases, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Falls at work 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 bumps into something. This can include a worker being hit 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 an employee being struck or crushed by collapsing structures, equipment, or materials.
Workers' Compensation May Also Cover Occupational Illnesses
Along with being injured, employees can also get sick with an illness due to their job. When this happens, workers compensation insurance is designed to help cover some of the expenses.
Occupational illnesses include diseases that develop from hazardous work environments or workplace exposures. Some common illnesses that occur at work include:
Cases involving job-related illness are complicated for a few different factors. One of the main reasons is that you will need to prove that your illness was caused by your job, and not from some other factor like genetics or something that happened during your personal time. This is even more complicated by the fact that a lot of illnesses develop gradually, which makes them more difficult to recognize and to determine the origin.
What Should I Do if I Am Hurt on the Job?
If you get hurt during your employment, you need to always report the incident, injury, or illness as soon as possible to your employer. This is necessary even if an injury seems minor. This, because injuries that seem small at first can end up being much more severe in the coming days or weeks.
For example, an injury that may feel like just a strained muscle can end up being a sign of long-term nerve damage. Or a sore low back from lifting a heavy object could be a disc herniation that requires surgery.
Further, you should always have a work-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 especially important for stress or repetitive motion injuries. Here, making changes in the ergonomic environment might not only cure the injury, but help to prevent injuries to others. Further, to protect the long-term ability of an employee to maintain and carry on in their job.
Finally, waiting too long to report an injury at work may foreclose your right to claim any kind of workers' compensation benefits.
Should You Contact a Glendale Workplace Injury Attorney?
Consequently, if sustain an on-the-job injury in Glendale, contact the Glendale personal injury attorneys at Tim D. Wright. Don't go through these tough times on your own. We are here to assist you with your case. We know the causes and effects of work accidents and injuries. Additionally, we know the laws and regulations associated with workers' compensation in California and will work to maximize the compensation you receive.
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