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Workers Compensation in Fresno, CA

You aren’t alone if you wonder how workers’ compensation works.

Workers’ compensation is insurance that provides wage and medical benefits to people who have become ill or injured while at work. How far this coverage goes depends on California state law.

If your injury or illness is eligible for compensation, the insurance carrier should help ease the financial burden.

Learn some of the basic principles of California workers’ compensation insurance and how the process works.

Workers Compensation Statistics in Fresno, California?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported over 74,300 people worked in education and healthcare in Fresno in November 2020. Unfortunately for teachers and healthcare workers, the Department of Industrial Relations published data that shows they had the second-most workplace injuries in Fresno County. You might be more alarmed to learn that over 68,500 local individuals in transportation, trade, and utilities reported an astounding 35,700 cases in 2019. If you live and work in Fresno, you need to understand more about workers’ compensation and how it works.

How Does Workers Comp Work in Fresno, California?

Unfortunately, going through the process of applying for workers’ compensation begins with getting sick or injured on the job. The circumstances surrounding the incident that led to your problems are especially crucial. For example, the injury had to occur during your regular work duties. While an event that happens during your lunch break wouldn’t apply, getting into a car accident while running an errand for your boss would qualify for a claim. 

California state law mandates any organization with one or more employees must have workers’ compensation insurance. Only a handful of exceptions exist in Fresno for independent contractors, domestic workers, and deputy sheriffs. Your reimbursements for lost wages should begin after the standard three-day waiting period. If all goes well, you will receive ⅔ of your pre-tax wages for the last year. $182.29 is the least an individual can receive, and the weekly payments max out at $1,215.27.

For example, say your supervisor asked you to drop something off on your lunch break. While running this errand you then get in a car accident on your way to the destination. Any resulting injury is eligible for workers’ compensation. However, if you are on your lunch break, performing no such task when you get in an accident, it does not qualify for a claim.

The steps you take immediately following a workplace incident in California are critical for filing a claim. Follow the following steps to preserve your rights and learn how workers comp works.

Get Medical Attention

After you get injured or feel ill, the first step is to see a doctor. Don’t delay receiving help from a California healthcare professional. Taking too long could not only jeopardize your health, but you run the risk of missing deadlines.

Even if you believe your injury is minor, get a proper medical report detailing the extent of the damage and how it occurred. This step is the top priority in the workers’ compensation claim process. Otherwise, your employer cannot file a claim with the insurance carrier.

You may have regular checkups and testing for weeks or months before a doctor finally connects your illness with your job. Your medical records will become the foundation from which the workers’ comp carrier will launch its investigation.

Generally, your doctor determines if the illness happened because of your work conditions or became aggravated by them. Once they do, see your human resources representative to file a workers’ compensation claim.

File a First Report of Injury

Once you have a medical diagnosis relating your illness or injury to your job, you must file a claim with your employer.

After finding medical help, you must notify your employer of the injury or illness in writing within thirty days of the incident. If you file for an injury that did not happen recently, you must file one year from when it happened. If a minor was involved, that time starts after their eighteenth birthday. Most states allow for more time to file a claim, so you must remain vigilant in central California. Employers in Fresno have five days from your notification to file an Employer’s Report of Occupational Injury or Illness with the state.

Timeline and Other Information

Once Fresno, CA receives your workers’ compensation claim, there is a three-calendar-day waiting period before benefits are paid out. This waiting period may be waived in cases involving hospitalization or criminal violence. Temporary benefits will continue until a doctor determines you can return to work, while permanent disability benefits depend on the severity and nature of your injury.

Your employer is responsible for providing details about the claims process. At some point, an adjuster or representative from the insurance carrier may contact you regarding the incident or to gather witness accounts. During this time, the workers’ comp insurer may begin covering medical expenses as they continue to investigate your claim.

Why You Should Hire a Fresno, California Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

While workers’ compensation claims may be straightforward for some cases in Fresno, California, in others, it may be more difficult. Your employer might ask if you suffer an injury on the clock or on your own time. It’s also common for a company to question the full extent of your injury. Hiring a Fresno workers’ comp lawyer ensures that you have an advocate to fight for your rights as a victim.

Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer In Fresno, California

If you are hurt or contract an illness as a result of your job in Fresno, CA you need to find the right people to help. Since the workers’ compensation claims process can have pitfalls, you should consider getting a local attorney who knows how to avoid them. 

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!

About the Author

Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.

With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.

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