If you were hurt on the job, you might wonder whether you have the right to receive compensation under the workers’ compensation system in California. You may have incurred medical bills and had to take time off work. Having an experienced workers’ compensation attorney in your corner can help ensure that you understand your legal rights and the options available to you.
How Can a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Long Beach Help?
While you’re not legally required to hire a workers’ compensation lawyer to help with your claim, doing so has many benefits. Workers’ compensation attorneys have an in-depth understanding of the law and how to apply it to your case. They can also help ensure you understand your legal rights and protect them throughout the lifespan of your case.
When you hire an experienced lawyer, they can help by:
- Investigating the accident
- Gathering evidence to prove your claim
- Helping report your work injury
- Preparing your legal claim
- Explaining your legal rights under California’s complex workers’ compensation system
- Proving why you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits
- Identifying the benefits you are eligible for
- Negotiating with insurance providers
- Representing your legal interests in appeals, potentially before the Workers’ Compensation Board
We want to help you secure the benefits you deserve. Contact Belal Hamideh today for a free consultation to discuss your legal options.
Why Should I Choose Belal Hamideh
Belal Hamideh is an experienced personal injury and workers’ compensation law firm. Some of the features that set our legal team apart from other attorneys include:
- We are local attorneys. We work in the local court system and are familiar with insurance adjusters and other lawyers who service the area. You can benefit from our unique insight.
- We are experienced. We have over 30 years of combined legal experience handling personal injury and workers’ compensation cases.
- We deliver results. Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Long Beach are dedicated to securing the highest compensation available for your injuries.
- We can connect you to the best doctors. If you need a second opinion or just want to know you’re receiving the best medical care, we’ve got you covered.
- We focus on our clients. We handle the complex legal issues so you can focus on your recovery.
- You pay nothing up front. Our contingency fee structure and the fact that we cover all initial expenses ensure that you are under no risk when you hire us for your legal counsel.
- We offer free consultations. We want you to make informed decisions, even if you ultimately decide not to go with us. We offer a free case review with no obligation to proceed with your case.
- We handle it all. From construction accidents and mass torts to motor vehicle accidents, we handle all types of cases. We can explain when you may have a case against a third party, in addition to your workers’ compensation claim.
Contact us today to take advantage of your free consultation.
Workers Comp Attorney Case Studies
($1,000,000.00)
we represented a client who sustained a head and spine injury after being injured working on an elevator shaft. We were able to help the client get medical treatment from a neurologist, orthopedic specialists, ENT doctors, and psychologists. Plus, we were also able to obtain temporary disability payments for our client for work that he was not able to attend. Our office aggressively pushed the case towards trial and ultimately recovered a seven-figure settlement for our client days before the trial began. In addition, we obtained a supplemental job-displacement voucher for our client so that he may be re-trained in a different field of work.
($400,000.00)
Our client suffered a heart attack on a Sunday when he was out of work. However, he claimed that the heart attack was due to the extreme stress and mistreatment perpetrated by his employer every day during work hours.
>The company’s workers’ compensation insurance denied the claim, alleging the heart attack happened outside of working hours and that the client’s family had a history of heart disease. Despite the odds, Belal H f years but eventually, our lawyer was able to prove that the heart attack was related to our client’s job. This allowed us to come to a final settlement of $400,000.00
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance system that provides certain benefits outlined under state law to workers injured on the job. In exchange for not being able to sue their employers, injured workers can avail themselves of this system without having to prove their employer was negligent in causing their injuries. Employers pay workers’ compensation insurance providers for their policy, which pays for injuries if the worker is injured on the job while performing job duties within the scope of their employment.
Most employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance in California, even if they have only one employee. This insurance is pivotal to people injured on the job, who have a reliable system to turn to in case they are hurt on the job. Workers’ compensation also benefits employers since it protects them from unexpected losses caused by accidents on the job and potential lawsuits.
Common Workplace Injuries
Individuals may be injured on the job in various ways, including:
- Construction accidents
- Slips and falls
- Crane accidents
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Occupational illnesses
- Exposure to harmful chemicals
These and other workplace accidents can cause serious injuries, including:
- Neck and back injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Crane accidents
- Shoulder and elbow injuries
- Broken bones
- Foot, knee, and ankle injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Hearing loss
- Burns
An experienced attorney can review your situation and determine legal options.
The Workers’ Compensation Claim Process
The workers’ compensation process in California involves several steps, including the following:
- Reporting the injury: Your legal claim begins by reporting your injury to your employer. You have a limited amount of time under California law to report such injuries to preserve your right to recover compensation.
- Filing workers’ compensation claim forms: If you provided a verbal notice to your employer, you will need to follow up by completing specific written forms
- Investigating the incident: The workers’ compensation insurance carrier investigates the accident and determines whether to accept or deny benefits.
- Appealing the decision: If your employer’s workers’ compensation provider denies your claim, you can appeal the decision.
An experienced lawyer can assist you with each of these steps.
How Long Do I Have to Report My Injury to My Employer?
It is in your best interest to report any workplace injury immediately to your employer, as any delay in reporting or seeking medical treatment could adversely affect your claim. California law generally requires employer reporting within 30 days of the accident.
Can I Choose My Own Doctor?
In California, employers are allowed to have a Medical Provider Network (MPN), and injured workers must initially choose one of the healthcare providers from this list. However, this arrangement can create a conflict, as injured workers may believe these doctors are acting in the best interests of the employer. If you are not satisfied with your medical treatment or it’s been 30 days since your injury, you can select a different doctor.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits
In California, you may be able to receive various types of workers’ compensation benefits, including:
- Medical benefits: Workers’ compensation covers reasonable and necessary medical treatment associated with their work injury. This could include doctor’s visits, surgeries, physical rehabilitation, and medication.
- Death benefits: When an employee dies in a work-related accident or due to an occupational illness, eligible beneficiaries may be able to receive death benefits to help cover funeral expenses and make up for the decedent’s lost income.
- Supplemental job displacement benefits: Supplemental job displacement benefits (SJDB) or vocational rehabilitation benefits provide financial assistance to help employees pursue job retraining or educational opportunities if they cannot return to their former line of work.
- Temporary disability benefits: Temporary disability (TD) benefits are wage replacement benefits the employee receives while they are temporarily unable to work because of the workplace injury or illness. These benefits can only last up to 104 weeks within a five-year period and are equal to two-thirds of the employee’s average weekly earnings, subject to state maximums.
- Permanent disability benefits: Permanent disability (PD) benefits are available when the workplace injury or illness results in permanent impairment and compensate for the long-term impact of the loss of the employee’s earning capacity. These can be permanent partial disability benefits or permanent total disability benefits.
What Is My Workers’ Compensation Claim Worth?
Various factors can affect the potential value of workers’ claims, including:
- The type of injury you sustained
- The severity of the injury
- Whether the injury resulted in permanent disability
- Your age
- Your occupation
- Your earnings
- Whether you can complete light-duty work
- Your average weekly wages before the accident
Contact an attorney in Long Beach, CA, for a free case review to learn more about what you might be eligible for.
Can I Sue My Employer for My Workplace Injury?
Generally, you cannot sue your employer for injuries that occur on the job because workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance system. Even if you contributed to your own accident on the job, you could be eligible for workers’ comp benefits.
However, it is possible that another party, such as the maker of a dangerous product, a general contractor, or a property owner, could have acted negligently in causing your injuries. Our personal injury law firm can handle these types of third-party claims to maximize your financial recovery.
What Should I Do If I am Injured at Work?
If you were injured on the job, take the following steps to protect your legal rights:
- Report the accident: Report your injury to your employer as soon as possible. You could be barred from recovering compensation if you don’t report your accident within 30 days, but any delay could harm your claim.
- Seek medical treatment: Go to the emergency room for emergency situations or to your employer’s chosen workers’ compensation doctor to receive medical treatment.
- Fill out the appropriate forms: Complete a DWC-1 claim form. Your employer is required by California law to provide you with this form within one working day of learning about your workplace injury.
- Cooperate with the investigation: Your employer will forward your completed form to their insurance company or claims administrator. The insurer may authorize the payment of medical treatment. The insurance company investigates the claim by reviewing medical records, gathering information about the accident, and asking the claimant for their version of events.
- Wait for the decision: Your employer’s workers’ compensation carrier has 90 days to decide whether or not to accept your claim.
- Contact an experienced attorney: Belal Hamideh can assist you with every aspect of the process, including any appeals. Call us today to request a free consultation.
Contact Our Experienced Workers’ Compensation Attorneys for a Free Case Review
At Belal Hamideh, we have a reputation for success. We can help file your claim and advocate for the maximum amount of compensation you deserve. If your workers’ comp claim is denied, we can assist you with the administrative process.
With over 30 years of experience, we have an in-depth understanding of workers’ compensation law. You can trust that we know how to capably handle every aspect of your claim, allowing you to focus on your recovery. Contact us today for a free consultation.