Robert Gunn, 70, of Pacific Grove, pleaded guilty in May to one felony count of failure to register as an employer and one misdemeanor count of failing to secure workers’ compensation insurance. The California Department of Insurance determined that Gunn had not secured workers’ compensation insurance prior to an employee’s injury.
In May 2013, Department of Insurance officials were informed that Gunn told employees he did not have workers’ compensation insurance, but if he did, he would take the cost out of their paychecks. The Department of Insurance began an investigation in collaboration with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office and the Contractor’s State License Board. One of Gunn’s employees had been injured while working, and Gunn paid out-of-pocket for the worker’s chiropractic treatments. Gunn said he later obtained workers’ compensation insurance but did not have it at the time of the injury. Gunn is a licensed architect who had previously filed as being exempt from needing workers’ compensation insurance.
In California, if an employer fails to obtain the necessary workers’ compensation coverage and an accident occurs, the injured employee can file a lawsuit against the employer in civil court or file a claim against the state workers’ compensation system. Employers who try and circumvent the law may expose their personal and other business assets. If you’ve been injured or disabled in southern California while working for an out-of-compliance employer, speak right away to an experienced Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorney. A good workers’ compensation lawyer can help you determine what compensation you are entitled to and how long you will be eligible to receive it. If your employer had no coverage, your attorney can help you find alternatives, including a personal injury claim if it’s appropriate. If you’ve suffered any injury on the job, contact an experienced Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorney and begin receiving the compensation that is rightly yours.