Richmond, CA Workers’ Compensation Attorneys

Workers’ Compensation Claims Process

The usual process for pursuing workers’ compensation benefits after a work-related injury includes:

1. You notify your employer as soon as possible after suffering a work-related injury but no later than 30 days.
2. Your employer must provide you with a DWC-1 claim form within one working day of receiving notification of your injury, even if you did not directly notify them.
3. You should fill out the DWC-1 claim form as thoroughly as you can and return it to your employer as quickly as possible; if you have any questions about how to fill out this form, you should talk to a Richmond workers’ compensation attorney from Pacific Workers', The Lawyers for Injured Workers.
4. Your employer must file your completed DWC-1 claim form within the same day upon receipt or make a reasonable effort to file it as soon as possible.
5. Your employer’s insurance provider must make a good faith attempt to investigate your claim and determine its validity without any unreasonable delays.

What to Do After a Workplace Injury

If you suffer a work-related injury, you should always try to follow these steps:

1. Report the injury immediately to your employer or supervisor, even if you think the injury is minor.
2. Seek immediate medical care for your injury; you may be required to go to a specific employer-approved, in-network medical clinic if your injury is not severe.
3. Call (888) 740-6434 to talk to our legal team about how to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Richmond, CA

Depending on the workers’ compensation insurance policy carried by your employer, the benefits available to you if you get hurt at work may vary. However, most policies are required to include certain benefits designed to help workers recover from work-related accidents without putting undue pressure on their own finances.

The most common workers’ comp benefits available in California are:

• Medical benefits: Your workers’ compensation coverage should pay for all medical treatments you need that are related to your work injury, including future medical care, rehabilitative therapy, and even co-pays. There is no limit to the amount of medical care coverage you can receive as long as your injury qualifies. However, certain treatments might be excluded from certain policies, which can cause some complications for you.
• Disability benefits: Sometimes called wage replacement benefits, workers’ comp in California usually includes disability benefits that provide income to a worker who cannot return to work yet due to their work-related injury. Temporary disability benefits are usually equal to two-thirds of the injured worker’s average weekly income and can last for weeks, months, or a few years, depending on whether the worker can perform some type of work in the meantime. Permanent disability benefits can last years or indefinitely and provide monthly income based on the type and severity of the disability.
• Death benefits: When a worker passes away due to a work-related injury or illness, people who depended on them for financial support may be eligible to receive death benefits through workers’ comp coverage. Death benefits usually help pay for funeral and burial costs, as well as temporary wage replacement equal to a portion of the deceased worker’s typical wages.
• Job displacement benefits: If you cannot return to your usual role or one that pays more within 60 days of the end of your temporary disability benefits, you may be eligible to get job displacement or vocational retraining benefits. Such benefits are designed to help you gain new or furthered education or training to start a new career that accommodates your disability by providing a voucher that covers some, most, or all costs related to necessary training or education courses.

What Injuries Are Covered by Workers’ Compensation?

California has broad worker protection laws that exceed those of most other states. As a result, there are very few injuries or illnesses that are excluded from workers’ compensation benefits. Again, what is more important than the type of injury is whether the injury occurred due to a work-related task or expectation.

Common types of workplace injuries that are brought up in workers’ comp claims include:

• Head injuries
• Joint injuries
• Repetitive stress injuries (RSI)
• Cancer
• Mental health conditions
• Occupational illnesses

Find a Legal Ally – Call Our Attorneys Now

Pacific Workers', The Lawyers for Injured Workers is proud to be there for injured workers throughout Richmond, California. If you were hurt at work, we want to help you explore your workers’ compensation options.

We stand up for injured workers from all industries, such as:

• Medical
• Retail
• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Foodservice
• Office work
• Law enforcement
• Firefighting
• Hospitality
• Transportation and delivery

Let us handle all parts of your case, such as filing a claim, responding to insurance inquiries, and even preparing to go to court if your claim is wrongfully denied. No matter what happens, we’ll be prepared to fight for your fair recovery after a work-related injury in Richmond.

Call our workers’ comp attorneys now by dialing (888) 740-6434.