If you sustain a catastrophic injury at your job, it can imperil your health and threaten your ability to meet your responsibilities and care for your family. It’s important in that situation to obtain all of your workers’ compensation and any other benefits you may be entitled to. If you’ve been injured at work in southern California and you need to receive workers’ compensation benefits, or if you’re being denied benefits that you believe are rightfully yours, speak immediately with an experienced Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorney.
Workers’ compensation in California is a “no-fault” system, so it doesn’t matter if the injury was your fault or your employer’s; benefits are provided either way. However, you must demonstrate that the injury arose from and occurred in the course of employment, and that’s where a good workers’ compensation lawyer can help. When a catastrophic injury at your job entirely impairs your ability to work, you may be able to qualify for permanent total disability workers’ compensation benefits. This status entitles you to benefits equaling two-thirds of your weekly salary for the rest of your life (subject to statutory limits) with cost-of-living increases. Payments for permanent disability are over and above the cost of medical care.
In any actual case, there can be a substantial dispute over what is genuinely a permanent total disability. You need an attorney with considerable experience advocating successfully for disabled workers. If you have a workers’ compensation total disability claim, you may also be able to obtain Social Security disability and other benefits. A good workers’ comp lawyer can advise you regarding your eligibility and help you to obtain maximum benefits from all sources. When you sustain an injury on the job in southern California, after first seeking medical attention, it’s imperative to consult at once with an experienced Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorney.