Maison Law can help workers hurt on the job after overexerting themselves. It may be a worker feeling the pain of a sudden injury, or an overexertion injury built up over weeks or months. In either case, we make sure Visalia area victims can pay all their medical bills and support their families while out of work. If you have suffered a workplace injury in Visalia or Tulare County, contact a Visalia Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for a free consultation.
Figuring Out If You Need a Workers’ Comp Attorney to Represent Your Case
A case involving a minor injury with only a few days lost at work may not require the help of a lawyer.
But if your injuries will cause you to miss significant work hours and your recovery will take weeks, there’s more support at stake, and a lawyer’s help may be very beneficial. Overexertion injuries can end up affecting you for months and years, or even permanently. A lawyer helps you earn more support for longer, giving you a chance to fully recover and avoid a relapse.
Overexertion cases can require more evidence and investigation to prove the full effects of repetitive and strenuous work. It’s necessary to convince Workers’ Comp administrators of what causes these injuries, how serious they can be, and how long they can last. A lawyer can build a strong case based on evidence and medical testimony and communicate these needs.
A Visalia Overexertion Workers Compensation Lawyer provides a strong advantage for workers suffering from these and other serious ailments:
- Hairline fractures
- Ligament and tendon damage (Musculoskeletal Disorders or MSDs)
- Repetitive motion injuries (Repetitive Strain Injuries or RSIs)
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal column injuries
- A loss of strength in arms and legs
- Harm done by workers performing tasks in the heat or cold
- Numbness or tingling in extremities (Cumulative Trauma Disorders or CTDs)
The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) also explains that workers might also want to consult with a lawyer if they feel their employer isn’t taking their injuries seriously or is withholding benefits. A lawyer can help victims who have been unfairly denied Workers’ Comp benefits. A lawyer would also be able to help someone who has started the claims process but feels they aren’t being treated fairly, as long as they haven’t signed off on benefits.
You have the right to handle your case yourself, but workers with serious injuries can often count on much more in support with the help of an experienced lawyer.
Adding Up What Your Workplace Injury Is Worth
Without knowing the circumstances of your injury and your diagnosis, it’s difficult to offer a reliable estimate of what you may secure. Every case is different, and all workers heal at their own pace.
A skilled attorney would need to go over your case with you and investigate your accident and outlook. The benefits you received would largely depend on how long your injury affects you. This determines how big your medical bills will grow and how many weeks you’ll lose paychecks. These losses must be demanded in any Workers’ Comp award.
Workers’ Comp usually provides these benefits and more:
- Support to pay all your medical bills and physical therapy costs
- Restoration of a percentage of the paychecks you have had to forfeit (usually around two-thirds of your normal weekly pay)
- A lifetime of support if your overexertion causes a permanent physical disability
- Money to go towards education and training for a new career if you can’t return to your former job
- Death benefits are available to close relatives after losing a loved one to a workplace accident
An attorney on your side can also demand reimbursement for any treatment you’ve received to manage the pain that comes with a serious injury. The money you’ve had to spend on mental healthcare should also be reimbursed. Victims should have the resources to get therapy to deal with the loss of enjoyment a painful injury can cause.
The DIR Injured Worker’s Handbook goes over all the different types of support available through a claim.
Overexertion Dangers for Tulare County Employees
The Ohio State University Agricultural Department reports that overexertion injuries are often suffered when workers are in the act of:
- lifting,
- pushing,
- pulling,
- carrying,
- gripping,
- using a tool that provides constant vibration
Those most obviously at risk would be construction workers and farmworkers on Tulare County orchards and ranches.
These injuries can also arise for workers, perhaps machine operators in factories, who are asked to hold their bodies in awkward positions.
And these injuries don’t just occur for those whose jobs involve hard, physical labor. The repetitive strain on the wrist while office workers are typing is an example of an overexertion injury. This strain is also known as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the deadlines for filing a California Workers’ Comp claim?
Employees must report their injuries to their employers within 30 days to be eligible to file a Workers’ Comp claim. With that step out of the way, victims must then inform California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation within a year of the injury. There’s an important exception to these deadlines, often applying to overexertion injuries. The countdowns usually start on the day of an accident. But in some cases, victims don’t realize they’re hurt right away. This might be the case with an overexertion injury. In these cases, the countdown to the deadlines would instead start when the worker became aware of the injury.
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. But these types of threats and retaliation are illegal in California. The employer can be fined, face criminal charges, and have to pay restitution to you. Maison Law would take legal action if a business owner or company resorted to threats or took retaliatory actions.
Contact a Visalia Overexertion Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, continues to fight for the well-being of Tulare County workers. He never wants to see workers left without support after getting injured by pushing themselves to the limit for business owners. Mr. Gasparian wants to meet with you to figure out how to earn you the most in benefits, as soon as possible, and for as long as possible.
Reach out to Maison Law to set up a free, no-obligation consultation if you’ve been seriously hurt in a workplace accident and will miss time at work.
We also understand that families who have medical bills to pay and are dealing with lost paychecks may not 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 Workers’ Comp is forced to provide.
