Lamont, CA Workers' Compensation Attorneys

Practice Areas Lamont Lawyers Lamont Workers’ Compensation Attorneys

Being injured at work involves a different set of rules than being injured elsewhere. Sometimes full-time jobs come with benefits such as health insurance that provide good coverage if an employee is injured. Other times, employers offer something called workers’ compensation insurance to all their employees. Workers’ compensation is purchased ahead of time to reduce the costs of injury and prevent a potential lawsuit.

Individuals everywhere run the risk of being injured on the job—and Lamont is no different. The city of Lamont, California in Kern County is filled with workers and laborers that risk their bodies each day to make a living. It’s important that these employees have somebody looking out for them.

What Exactly Is Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance intended to protect employees and businesses from financial loss if an employee gets sick or injured as a result of their job. Also known as workman’s comp, workers’ comp, and workman’s compensation, workers’ compensation is essential to running a company. The cost of work-related injuries can be devastating to both employers and employees. Workers’ compensation insurance offsets potentially monumental expenses that could be the difference between a business surviving or going bankrupt.

Workers’ compensation will typically cover any of the following costs:

• Medical Expenses: This includes the direct cost of care after an injury. Surgeries, ambulance rides, medications, and any other medical procedures should be covered to some degree if not fully by workman’s comp.
• Lost Wages: When a worker is injured or sick, they may not be able to work and earn money for their livelihood. The money they are unable to make from wages is considered an expense and is therefore covered by this type of insurance.
• Ongoing Care Costs: Beyond the initial medical attention that must be given immediately following an accident, additional medical costs may accrue over time. If a worker is disabled or injured in a way that requires ongoing assistance or medical attention, workers’ compensation will also help to cover the cost of these extended practices.
• Funeral Expenses: If an employee dies as a result of a work-related accident or illness, workers’ comp will help pay for the services, resources, and other costs associated with funeral proceedings.

Along with the situations workers’ comp DOES cover, it’s also important to understand the circumstances that workers’ comp DOES NOT cover. Some of the events that might occur on the job which are not covered include the following:

• Any injuries a worker sustains during a fight which they instigated
• Any injuries an employee receives intentionally; the company will often conduct an investigation to ensure the injury was not the result of a purposeful action
• Any emotional injuries which aren’t caused by or associated with physical trauma in the workplace
• Any injuries sustained because the employee was intoxicated or under the influence in the workplace

The situations that are and are not covered under a workers’ compensation plan differ from state to state.

How Do I File a Workers’ Comp Claim?

The first step to filing a workers’ compensation claim is determining whether or not you qualify. The following situations warrant a workers’ comp claim:

• The injured person must be one of your employees.
• The employee gets injured from work-related duties or responsibilities.
• The employee is injured in the workplace.
• The employee gets sick as a result of their work or work environment.

Next, you must take the necessary steps to ensure that your employee is properly taken care of. Whether this means administering first aid, calling an ambulance, or taking them to the emergency room yourself, their safety comes first. If they request time off work for the injury, approve their request.

To move forward with filing a claim, you’ll have to start by gathering information about the event itself. Depending on the requirements of the state, you may have to collect different facts. Generally, a workers’ compensation claim will need to include the following information:

• Information on the company such as a policy number, account number, and location
• Information about the injured employee such as demographics, addresses, and phone numbers
• Information about the accident such as the date, body part injured, cause of injury, type of injury, any witnesses, how long the employee will be gone from work, etc.

This information should be submitted to the insurance company immediately for the best results. This process is different in each state but typically follows the same steps. There may be a window of time that employers have to report the incident to their insurance company. In New York, reports must be filed within 30 days of the incident to qualify for workers’ comp.

How Much Does a Workers’ Comp Lawyer in Lamont Cost?

At Chain | Cohn | Clark, our Lamont workers’ compensation lawyers are free until you win your case. We take a small percentage of your winnings to keep our attorneys paid, but if you don’t receive any money, we won’t charge you anything. Not only does this make the decision to attempt a workers’ compensation claim more accessible to you, it also incentivizes our attorneys because they DON’T GET PAID unless YOU DO GET PAID.

When Should I Settle?

There is no clear-cut number that you should aim to be offered before you accept a settlement, because the necessary benefits will depend on the nature and severity of the injury you receive. As a general rule of thumb, you should never accept the first settlement offer an insurance company provides.

While a Lamont workers’ compensation attorney is not required by law, it can be dangerous to represent yourself because insurance companies may take advantage of your inexperience. Hiring legal counsel to guide you through the steps of filing a claim and to potentially represent you during a hearing can increase the chances of you receiving the compensation you deserve. If you represent yourself, you may settle a lot earlier than you need to.

Insurance companies and employers may also attempt to argue that you are not entitled to benefits for your injury. A Lamont workers’ compensation lawyer can help you organize the necessary information to dispute their claims. Do not get bullied by larger entities, hire a reliable lawyer who’s willing to fight for your benefits.

How Does Workers’ Compensation Insurance Work?

If an employee is hurt on the job, the first thing they should do is notify their employer immediately. The employee should report the date and time of the injury with a description of how it happened. Different states have different laws about the date by which an injury must be reported; the best practice is always to report an injury as soon as possible.

If an employee experiences a work-related illness that worsens over time, it should be reported as soon as the employee receives a diagnosis or learns the illness is related to their job.

Employers will usually buy workman’s comp insurance if they do not offer benefits to their employees. While most states—excluding New Jersey and Texas—require companies to have an insurance plan, employees often opt to use their benefits if the coverage is better.

Employees do not have to pay to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Employers will pay for this insurance based on factors such as state laws, the nature of work employees do, the size of the business, and the on-the-job risks associated with working there.

Contact Reliable Workers’ Comp Attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark in Lamont, CA

Chain | Cohn | Clark has been representing individuals in the greater California area for over eight decades. With our primary location in Bakersfield, we’ve been representing employees in surrounding towns and cities for decades. Our law firm has the knowledge and connections to help workers just like you take on large corporations or insurance companies that don’t want to payout benefits.

Our Lamont workers’ compensation lawyers understand what value should be considered a “good settlement” for your specific incident. We also know the steps you need to take to procure that amount of money. From filing a claim to representing you in a court of law, we have you covered every step of the way. Reach out to Chain | Cohn | Clark for a reliable workers’ comp lawyer in Lamont, California.