Maison Law of Turlock helps workers who have been hurt at work by defective equipment. Victims can receive severe injuries, face a stack of medical bills, and lose essential time at work. Injured employees can sometimes rely on Workers’ Compensation, but not everyone is treated fairly. Not everyone is approved for benefits. And when patients are approved, they don’t always receive the same level of support.
Go over your case with a Turlock Workers’ Compensation Lawyer to figure out how you can secure everything you need to recover and get back to work. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about your options that may go far beyond standard workers’ comp benefits.
When You Should Have a Lawyer for Your Workers’ Comp Claim
As a worker in California, you always have the right to file your own Workers’ Comp claim. And if your injury is relatively minor, and you only have to miss a few days at work, you may be fine handling your case yourself.
But if your injuries are more serious, your bills will skyrocket, and the importance of having legal protection grows. You’ll want an attorney arguing your case so your employers’ Workers’ Comp insurance provider can’t find ways to reject your claim or reduce the support you receive.
A lawyer can often help you earn much more in benefits with these and other injuries caused by a malfunctioning machine:
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Electrical shocks
- Crush injuries
- Cuts and puncture wounds
- Vision and hearing impairments
- A lost limb
The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) also illustrates some of the reasons you may want legal representation:
- Your case isn’t being treated seriously
- You feel you aren’t receiving enough in benefits to support your family and pay all of your bills
- You aren’t sure how to proceed with a Workers’ Comp claim, and no one (including your employer) will help.
- You will need the help of a skilled lawyer to collect evidence to support your claim over defective equipment
- If your employer threatens to fire you or report you to immigration authorities if you file a claim over an injury
You might also want to contact a lawyer if your employer suddenly involves corporate lawyers in your case. Your attorney would represent you before California’s Workers’ Compensation administrators and make sure they receive the full story on what you’ve been through. Your attorney handles your case while you are given time to focus on getting better.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Real Turlock Workers’ Compensation Accident Attorney
You may still be wondering if you have a case that can earn money for you and your family. You may also be in pain and stuck in bed due to a major accident, and be unable to focus on a Workers’ Comp case.
We are happy to talk over your options with you or a family member. If we can help you earn more, we can immediately begin investigating your accident and how you’ve been treated. We can then get aggressive with Workers’ Comp administrators to demand the maximum in benefits for you. We handle all the red tape and frustrating face-to-face meetings, so that you can focus on healing and getting back to work.
Seeking Support After an Equipment Injury at Work
Workers injured in an unsafe workspace on an unsafe machine shouldn’t have to beg for help. They’ll need prompt support as their monthly bills stack up while out of work. They may fall behind on the rent and car payments. Credit card bills may be collecting late fees while going unpaid.
A Workers’ Comp award must address these and other losses. Just be aware that workers with very similar injuries can receive very different amounts in their checks. It often depends on the evidence presented, how the victim’s hardships are presented, and the freedom given to insurance adjusters to decide support levels. They will always offer less to save money, and hope victims don’t have legal assistance to help them realize they should receive more.
The DIR Injured Worker’s Handbook goes over all the different types of support available through a claim. This is a look at some of the support victims could receive:
- Support to pay all medical bills and physical therapy costs
- Restoration of a percentage of the paychecks victims have had to forfeit
- A lifetime of support for victims who develop a permanent physical disability
- Money to go towards education and training for a new career if victims can’t return to their former job
- Death benefits are available to close relatives after losing a loved one to a workplace accident
A skilled attorney would also demand support to pay for therapy for the pain that victims must cope with. Support should also be provided to allow victims to cover mental health therapy that might be required after a frightening accident and a difficult recovery.
Equipment Dangers in the California Workplace
The tools and machinery provided in an office or on a job site are supposed to be safe for workers and properly maintained. When companies get negligent, workers can be hurt by the equipment they are provided with.
Some of the hazards arise from the speed and power that machines might move with. Some of the hazards can be magnified by the carelessness of an employer.
These are some of the common injuries and reasons for injuries involving workplace equipment:
- Crush injuries caused by a fast-moving machine
- Shock injuries from a machine or tool
- Burns from heated metal surfaces
- Eye and ear drum injuries
- Lacerations from fast-moving, unguarded parts
- Injuries due to a lack of safety equipment provided
- Injuries caused when a safety feature on a piece of equipment has been disabled
- Injuries due to a design or manufacturing flaw
Victims will usually be limited to a Workers’ Comp claim to earn support as they heal. However, a business or company could also face a lawsuit when exposing workers to extreme risk that should have been identified. In some cases, employers may know about the risk and still instruct workers to use a piece of unsafe machinery. They may recklessly allow equipment to fall into disrepair or disable certain safety features.
In some cases, a manufacturer can release an unsafe piece of equipment that should have been recalled. Victims can discuss their options for a lawsuit and can earn even more for their recoveries in some cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the important deadlines to know in a Workers’ Comp Case?
Workers have 30 days to inform their employers of an injury. It’s best to alert a supervisor on the day of the accident. California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation must also be alerted to an accident within a year of it happening. An employer would usually help notify Workers’ Comp officials.
Can I receive Workers’ Compensation benefits if I’m not a U.S. citizen?
In California, all workers are protected when they are injured. Workers can receive benefits regardless of their immigration status or undocumented worker status. Maison Law can help many victims secure more support for their families.
What should I do if my employer threatens me for reporting an injury and missing work?
Employers may threaten to fire you or report you to immigration authorities if you file a Workers’ Comp claim. This behavior is illegal. The employer can be fined, face criminal charges, and have to pay restitution to the victim. Maison Law would take legal action if a business owner or company resorted to threats or took retaliatory actions.
Contact a Turlock Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Reach out to Maison Law to set up a free case consultation after you’ve suffered harm from a piece of equipment while on the job. We want to hear about what happened to you and then help you determine the best course of action for your family.
There’s no obligation for your free case review, and it’s definitely worth it to see if you could earn more with the experience of Martin Gasparian backing your case. Mr. Gasparian is the founder of Maison Law. He continues to challenge giant insurance companies and government agencies to make sure injured workers receive what’s needed to rebound from a serious injury.
We also understand that families who are dealing with massive hospital bills and are going without paychecks won’t usually have the money to hire a lawyer. That’s okay. Maison Law doesn’t ask for any payment up front. We only get paid if we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the benefits insurance companies are forced to provide.
