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If you are not able to work due to an injury or illness that occurred on the job in North Hollywood, 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 difficult and uncertain time.
Fortunately, California law protects workers from negative fallout related to work injuries by requiring employers 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 workers from job-related injuries and illness. It offers a safeguard for injured employees 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 manage all the consequences that come with an injury.
Under the California Workers' Compensation Act, individuals who are hurt at work 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 despite being at fault for a job-related incident. However, injured workers can not recover compensation for damages typically awarded in a personal injury claim.
Common Causes of Workplace Injuries
The top three leading causes of job-related injuries make up more than 84% of all nonfatal injuries at work. This includes:
Overexertion and Repetitive Motion Injuries
Overexertion injuries can occur when a worker uses excessive physical effort to do a task and gets injured. This includes lifting, pushing, turning, holding, carrying, or throwing.
Repetitive motion caused 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 one of the most common on-the-job injuries. They make up 25% of yearly injury claims, 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 other structures.
Injuries from Contact with Equipment and Objects
Contact with equipment and objects refers to injuries that happen when a person is struck by something or runs into something. This can include an employee 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 may also include accidents like an employee being struck or crushed by collapsing structures, equipment, or materials.
Workers' Comp May Also Cover Occupational Illnesses
Along with being hurt, 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.
Work-related illnesses include diseases that arise from dangerous work environments or workplace exposures. Some typical illnesses that happen on the job include:
Cases involving job-related illness are complex for a number of 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 any other factor like genetics or something that happened during your personal time. This is even more complicated by the fact that several illnesses develop gradually, which makes them harder to notice and to determine the origin.
What Should I Do If I Am Injured on the Job?
If you become hurt during your employment, you need to always report the accident, injury, or illness as soon as possible to your employer. This is important even if an injury appears minor. This, because injuries that appear minor in the beginning can become much more severe in the coming days or weeks.
For instance, an injury that might seem like just a strained muscle can end up being a symptom of permanent nerve damage. Or a sore lower back from lifting a heavy object could be a disc herniation that requires surgery.
Additionally, you should always have a work-related injury examined by a doctor. This is the only way to learn the extent of your injury, and what can be done to recover. This is particularly important for stress or repetitive motion injuries. In this case, making changes in the ergonomic environment may not only treat the injury, but help to prevent injuries to others. Further, to preserve the long-term ability of an employee to maintain and carry on in his or her job.
Finally, waiting too long to report an injury at work might foreclose your right to claim any kind of workers' compensation benefits.
Should You Contact a North Hollywood Workers' Compensation Lawyer?
Consequently, if you suffer an on-the-job injury in North Hollywood, contact the North Hollywood personal injury attorneys at Drake Law Firm. Do not go through these hard times on your own. We are here to help you with your claim. We understand the causes and effects of job accidents and injuries. Also, 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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