A work-related injury can impact not only your performance on the job but your ability to even keep up with the tasks that your profession requires. Depending on the extent of your injury, your personal life might also be affected. When you are hurt at work, you may be eligible to collect workers’ compensation benefits to ease the financial burden of your injuries.
While California requires that all employers carry workers’ compensation coverage, navigating the application process is challenging. You need an advocate to stand up for your rights. A Fowler workers’ compensation lawyer can work to ensure you receive the maximum benefits you deserve. Our hardworking personal injury attorneys can also identify any third parties who contributed to your injury and pursue a civil compensation claim against them.
What is a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Any worker who gets hurt on the job can file a workers’ compensation claim, regardless of whether the injury was their fault or someone else’s. The injured worker must notify their employer of their injury within 30 days of the incident and file their benefits application within one year.
Common Causes
Workers’ compensation claims are common in construction sites and industrial fields, as well as office settings. Some of the most frequent incidents leading to a workers’ compensation claim include equipment accidents, electrocution, chemical or electrical fires, and collapsed scaffolding. These incidents cause repetitive-stress injuries, burns, broken or fractured bones, back injuries, brain damage, internal organ damage, difficulty breathing, or other respiratory difficulties.
Third-Party Claims
While employers are usually to blame for workplace injuries, some incidents result from the negligence of a third party, such as a contractor, subcontractor, or equipment manufacturer. In these cases, the injured person might have grounds to file a lawsuit against the third party, even when they have already filed a comp claim with their employer. The worker must file suit within two years of their injury.
A knowledgeable attorney in Fowler can guide an injured employee through the legal process and seek the maximum benefits available in workers’ comp claims and lawsuits against third parties, if applicable.
What Benefits Can an Employee Recover After a Workplace Injury?
A talented lawyer in Fowler can help an injured employee pursue various benefits through their employer’s workers’ compensation coverage, including reimbursement for medical expenses, such as ambulance bills or physical therapy. Workers’ compensation coverage can also pay out short-term and long-term disability benefits.
An injured worker can collect damages beyond lost wages and medical bills in a personal injury lawsuit. For example, the employee may be able to recover intangible losses such as loss of consortium, mental anguish, emotional distress, pain, and suffering.
Get in Touch With a Seasoned Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Fowler Today
Our Fowler workers’ compensation lawyers regularly fight on behalf of clients like you. We will put our extensive legal experience and knowledge to work on your behalf, protecting your legal rights and interests while helping you navigate any procedural hurdles that might come up.
When you want to pursue a workers’ compensation case or third-party personal injury claim, now is the best time to speak with our lawyers. Call our office today to set up a private consultation with a compassionate legal team member, and let us begin working on your case.
