Secure Your Deserved Workers' Compensation Benefits

Workers’ compensation covers all necessary medical treatment, including doctor visits, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation services, and medical equipment related to the work-related injury or illness.

In California, you can choose your treating physician from a pre-approved list provided by your employer’s insurance company.

This list is called a medical-provided network. The doctors on this network are contracted with the insurance company to treat injured workers.

Selecting a doctor within this network who is a patient advocate who will have your best interests at heart is essential.

Temporary disability benefits compensate workers who cannot work due to work-related injuries or illnesses. These benefits typically equate to about two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wages. They are usually available for a maximum duration of 104 weeks.

However, some exceptions allow you to receive up to 204 weeks of temporary disability. A knowledgeable attorney will be able to see if you qualify for this exception.

Yes, there is a three-day waiting period. However, you can only work for up to 14 days. In that case, you may be eligible to receive temporary disability benefits retroactively from the date of your injury.

If your injury or illness leads to a permanent disability, you may be entitled to receive permanent disability benefits. Factors such as the extent of disability, age, type of work, and earning potential determine these benefit

Permanent disability benefits are determined based on a formula that considers the nature of the disability, the worker’s pre-injury wages, and other factors.

Supplemental job displacement benefits provide a $6,000 voucher to eligible workers who experience permanent disability and cannot return to their previous employer. These vouchers are used for training, education, and necessary expenses.

California will provide an additional $5,000 cash payment to individuals utilizing their job displacement voucher. Thus, workers can receive $11,000 in total.

Complete the necessary forms and submit them to your employer’s insurance company or seek help from a workers’ compensation lawyer to guide you during the application process.

If a worker tragically passes away from a work-related injury, workers’ compensation offers death benefits to the worker’s dependents.

​But, it is complicated to establish who is a dependent. Thus, speaking with a knowledgeable workers’ comp lawyer is imperative.

In California, these benefits usually consist of financial assistance for funeral costs and regular payments to qualified dependents, including the worker’s spouse, children, or other dependents.

To apply for death benefits, the deceased worker’s dependents must notify the employer or the insurance company about the death and submit the necessary documentation.

The timeline for receiving workers’ compensation benefits varies depending on the complexity of the case and the cooperation of all parties involved.

The insurance company typically has 90 days in California to accept or deny a claim.

If approved, benefits should begin shortly after.

Employees covered by workers’ compensation typically cannot take legal action against their employers for work-related injuries or illnesses, as workers’ compensation offers an exclusive benefit.

While a work injury is an exclusive remedy. There are other circumstances where an employee can file legal action against their employer.

One of the most common scenarios for taking legal action is when an employer fails to pay an employee correct wages such as overtime. An employee can also file a lawsuit for certain types of discrimination.