Are Nurses Eligible for Workers’ Compensation in California?

 Posted on October 03, 2024 in Workers' Compensation

Working as a nurse can be extremely demanding. Whether they are dealing with other people’s bodily fluids or bad tempers, handling hazardous materials, or treating contagious diseases, there are so many risks nurses face on a daily basis. Fortunately, like all employees in the state of California, nurses are entitled to workers’ comp benefits when they get injured at work. If you have questions about a specific case, contact a qualified Gilroy, CA workers’ comp lawyer.

What Does Nurses’ Workers’ Comp Coverage Involve?

When an employee in California gets sick or injured as a result of their job, they are generally entitled to workers’ comp, which covers the costs of any resulting medical expenses and any lost income from the time they were unable to work. There are two important conditions that need to be met for anyone to qualify for this coverage:

• The injury or illness needs to have been caused by your job. This means it has to have happened at work or been a direct result of something that happened while the nurse was doing their job.

• The nurse needs to be employed by a company with a workers’ comp policy. Contractors are not eligible.

When a nurse gets injured at work, she should first seek medical attention and then, as long as she meets both conditions, she should inform her employer as soon as possible so they can begin the process of applying for her coverage.

Can I Get Workers’ Comp for a Stress Injury?

While it can seem easier to prove that an injury was a direct result of doing the job if it was caused by a specific, documented incident, nurses can still be eligible when a condition develops over time.

For example, nurses often develop back pain because they have to lift patients or help them stand up or sit down. While one instance of lifting a patient will not typically cause long-term problems, over many years, tough physical labor can cause serious injury to a nurse’s back.

It is also important to remember that it does not matter who was responsible for the incident that caused the injury. Employees are eligible for coverage regardless of who was at fault.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Santa Clara County, CA Workers’ Comp Attorney

If you got injured at your nursing job, a knowledgeable Morgan Hill, CA workers’ comp lawyer can help you navigate the process of obtaining coverage for your medical expenses and income loss. You were hurt at work and you should not be punished for it. At Cramer + Martinez, we fight for our clients’ rights and will advocate aggressively for you to get the compensation you deserve. Call us at 408-848-1113 to schedule a free consultation.