Under California law, employers are legally required to provide their employees with worker’s compensation benefits. Worker’s compensation benefits in CA are intended to provide compensation to employees who have been injured, fallen ill, or been involved in an accident while on the job. Unfortunately for many employees in Lancaster and elsewhere in the state, even when your employer has the required worker’s compensation coverage, this does not always mean you will receive the compensation you deserve after a workplace injury.
The insurance companies behind your employer’s worker’s compensation coverage are not on your side. In fact, they are often prone to underpaying or denying valid claims, leaving people like you to suffer while unable to work. You may be led to believe that your medical history or a specific entry on your medical records disqualifies you from claiming, but this is not true.
Regardless of your medical history, you are entitled to claim workers compensation benefits after sustaining a workplace injury. A Lancaster workplace injury attorney from Koszdin, Fields & Sherry could help you to file your claim. If you have already done so only to face an obstacle, we could handle the dispute on your behalf.
Common Types of Lancaster Workplace Injuries
At Koszdin, Fields & Sherry, we have been protecting the rights of workplace injury victims since 1955. This means we have over 60 years of experience, which can be used to protect your rights while claiming worker’s compensation benefits. While every case is, of course, different, there are some common types of workplace injuries and your Lancaster workplace injury attorney will have successfully handled cases relating to:
- Repetitive motions injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Physical injuries, including back injuries, falls, accidents involving equipment, and more
- Cardiac injuries, such as hypertension or heart attack
- Stress injuries and illness, for example, anxiety, depression, or sleep disorders
- Aggravation of previous injuries
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Occupational diseases, such as exposure to hazardous chemicals, loss of vision, and hearing damage
Of course, the nature of certain jobs means that some people are more at risk of workplace injury than others. But our Lancaster attorneys have successfully handled claims filed by people in all types of employment.
As we work on behalf of construction workers, police officers, clerical workers, and everyone in between, we encounter some workplace injuries which are more complex and difficult to prove than others but, regardless of how complicated your workplace injury claim is, we will strive to obtain the compensation you deserve.
Qualifying for California Workers Compensation Benefits
Under California law, the vast majority of employers must provide their employees with worker’s compensation coverage from the moment they start working. There are many preconceived notions regarding workers compensation benefits in CA, but two of the most common are that you must be a full-time employee and have been working with your employer for a minimum of thirty days in order to be eligible for benefits.
But nothing could be further from the truth. It could be your first day as a part-time employee and if you are injured due to the conditions of your work environment, you could be entitled to work comp benefits.
With that being said, there are certain instances in which you may be disqualified from being awarded worker’s compensation benefits. Some of these include:
- Intentionally harming yourself
- Being intoxicated or under the influence of drugs when you were injured
- Being in violation of your company’s code of conduct
- Committing a crime when you were injured
If you are still unsure whether you qualify for CA workers comp benefits, contact an experienced workplace injury lawyer to discuss your options.
Workers Comp Benefits After a Workplace Injury in Lancaster
If you are awarded worker’s compensation benefits, after a Lancaster workplace injury, you may be wondering what that means. There are several benefits that may be available to you depending on the details of your case.
First are your disability benefits. These are meant to replace approximately two-thirds of your average weekly income. You should also be able to expect the insurance company to cover the costs of your medical expenses as they relate to your workplace injury in Lancaster.
If your injuries are so severe that you are unable to return to work in the same position or industry, you may also be awarded supplemental job displacement benefits of as much as $6,000 for job training or rehabilitation.
Family members of someone who has passed away due to a Lancaster workplace injury could be entitled to death benefits that include compensation for funeral and burial expenses, lost future earnings, and other damages.
How to Maximize Your Lancaster Workplace Injury Settlement
If you hope to be awarded the compensation that you rightfully deserve, you may need to speak to a workplace injury lawyer in Lancaster, even if you are awarded work comp benefits.
This is because worker’s compensation does not fully compensate an injury victim for their suffering. Instead, you may need to file a claim in civil court to recover the economic and non-economic damages you deserve. But you will only have grounds for a claim if your attorney can show that someone else’s negligence was the cause of your workplace injury.
Speak to a Lancaster Workplace Injury Attorney Today
No matter how difficult you feel it may be to obtain worker’s compensation benefits for your workplace injury or illness, you should not give up before you even try.
By working with an experienced workplace injury attorney from Koszdin, Fields & Sherry, you could benefit from a wealth of legal expertise, not to mention an attorney who is truly compassionate and empathetic towards your situation.
Of course, we cannot help if you do not instruct us to do so – schedule your initial consultation today by calling us at 818-812-5639 to find out how a Lancaster workplace injury attorney could be your key to receiving workers compensation benefits.
