Nobody wants to get hurt, especially at work! The initial pain of a workplace injury is quickly followed by uncertainty, frustration with the claims process, and substantial disruptions to everyday life (often including long-term disability or suffering).
Worst of all, you’re enduring all of this because you’re working hard to earn a living. You dedicate your time, talent, and effort to your job, and you expect your workplace to be safe in return.
California personal injury law requires employers to maintain safe working conditions for their employees. If they fail to do so, injured workers are entitled to financial compensation for their damages.
Most often, claims for damages are handled through California's Workers’ Compensation system, which provides certain benefits but also certain limitations for injured workers in our state. The claims process is very complicated, and it’s possible for employees to end up receiving less than they deserve without the help of an experienced California's workers’ compensation attorney.
In some cases, injured workers may also be able to seek compensation outside of (or in addition to) the Workers’ Compensation system — either from their employer or from an additional third party. In these cases, the injury claims would be based on traditional personal injury grounds (similar to claims or lawsuits that happen when someone is not injured on the job).
Of course, if you’ve been hurt in the workplace and aren’t sure what to do next, all of this talk about claims and compensation might seem a bit “pie in the sky.” You need to figure out your very next steps before you start to wade into the deep waters of California's Workers’ Compensation.
We understand. At the Fletcher B. Brown Law Firm, we know how difficult workplace injuries can be. We also take your rights very seriously. Protecting those rights is a lot easier if you take the proper steps from day one, and that’s why we’ve put together this article, which features helpful hints for what to do after being hurt at work.
While the following should provide some useful general information, please do not hesitate to contact a San Francisco Bay area (Oakland specifically) workers compensation attorney in our office to talk about your specific situation and learn more about your options.