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Recent Blog Posts
When Will the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board Review a Denied Claim?
For those who are injured while on the job, workers’ compensation can provide essential benefits, ensuring that their medical care will be paid for and that they will be compensated for some of the income they have lost. However, there are some situations where workers’ comp claims may be denied. In these cases, injured workers will need to understand their options for filing an appeal, including when their case may be heard by the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB).
Requests for Reconsideration Before the WCAB
While all work-related injuries should be covered by workers’ compensation, regardless of who was at fault, there are a variety of reasons why a person may be denied benefits. An employer or their insurance company may believe that a person’s injuries were not work-related, or they may claim that certain types of medical treatment are not necessary. Disputes may also arise regarding whether an injury has resulted in a disability, and a worker may be denied temporary or permanent benefits that should address the loss of income they have experienced.
How Long Do Temporary Disability Benefits Through Workers’ Comp Last?
A serious injury can cause a great deal of difficulty in a person’s life, but those who are injured while working will often be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits that can ease some of the burden. When an injury is serious enough that it limits a person’s ability to work while they are recovering, temporary disability benefits will provide the person with compensation for some of the income they have lost. However, as the name implies, these benefits will only last for a certain amount of time, and workers who are subject to limitations on the work they can perform following an injury will need to understand how long they can receive benefits.
Understanding the Limits on TTD and TPD Benefits
A person will be eligible for temporary disability benefits if they require overnight hospitalization following an injury or if the doctor who provides treatment following an injury determines that they will be unable to return to work for at least three days. Temporary disability benefits will provide compensation for the income lost due to the inability to work at the level that would allow a person to earn the wages they received before they were injured.
Can Office Workers Get Workers’ Comp for Repetitive Stress Injuries?
When people think of workplace injuries, they are likely to picture serious accidents that result in significant bodily harm. While the need for workers’ compensation benefits may be evident in these cases, there are a variety of other injuries that workers can experience. Even though working in an office is not considered to be a high-risk occupation, office workers can be injured in multiple ways. These workers may experience repetitive stress injuries that may be caused by several different factors. Fortunately, all employees are eligible to receive workers’ comp for injuries that arose out of the work they have performed. By understanding the different types of repetitive stress injuries that may occur, office workers can make sure they provide the correct information to qualify for benefits.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Workplace Fall Accidents?
While there are multiple types of workplace accidents that occur on a daily basis, falls are some of the most common causes of injuries for workers. While these accidents can be especially serious for people in certain occupations, such as construction workers, they can affect employees in any industry. Fortunately, workers who are injured due to a fall that took place while they are working will usually qualify for workers’ compensation, even if they were responsible for their own injuries. By understanding the reasons that falls can occur in the workplace, workers can take the proper steps to avoid being injured while also ensuring that they will be able to receive benefits for any injuries that do occur.
Slips, Trips, and Other Types of Fall Accidents
How Can Workers’ Compensation Address Traumatic Brain Injuries?
Workplace accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, and when these accidents result in injuries, a person will usually be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Brain and head injuries can be especially harmful, and those who experience these types of injuries will want to be sure they take the correct steps to receive the proper medical treatment. They will also want to determine how they can receive benefits that address the ways an injury has affected their ability to work in the future.
Benefits for Workplace Brain Injuries
There are a variety of situations where workplace accidents may cause a person to experience a blow to the head that results in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Fall accidents, including those involving a slip and fall due to a wet floor or a fall from a defective ladder or scaffolding, may cause a person to strike their head on the floor or other objects. Brain injuries may also occur if a person is struck on the head by falling objects at a construction site or in a car accident that occurs while a person is working.
What Is a Utilization Review in a California Workers’ Comp Case?
Following a work-related injury, an employee will usually qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. These include medical benefits that will pay for all treatment that is needed, including emergency care, doctor visits, medications, surgery, and long-term or ongoing services such as physical therapy or psychological treatment. The California Division of Workers’ Compensation requires reviews to be performed to ensure that the medical treatment a person receives is necessary to treat their injuries or illnesses. This type of review is known as a utilization review, and workers will need to understand how a review will affect the benefits they receive.
Different Types of Utilization Reviews
All forms of medical treatment that are covered by workers’ compensation are subject to review. A physician or provider will submit a request for authorization (RFA), and this request may be reviewed by a claims adjuster, physician reviewer, or non-physician reviewer. Requests may be fully authorized, partially authorized, or denied. Reviews will generally fall into one of the following categories:
Does Workers’ Compensation Provide Vocational Rehabilitation?
For people who are injured in the workplace, workers’ compensation can provide crucial benefits that will allow them to receive the proper medical care and support themselves while they are recovering. In many cases, injured workers will suffer from temporary setbacks, and they will be able to return to their previous positions after they have fully recovered. However, there are some situations where a person may suffer from permanent impairments that make it difficult or impossible to continue doing the work they had done in the past. While permanent disability benefits may provide assistance in these cases, a person will likely be looking to find work in the future that will fit within their limitations. However, doing so can be difficult, especially if a person has limited experience outside of their previous position or if they do not have the skills to pursue other types of work. Fortunately, certain workers may qualify for vocational rehabilitation that will allow them to receive training and pursue employment in new fields.
When Can Police Officers Receive Workers’ Compensation in California?
In many cases, people who are injured while on the job will qualify for workers’ compensation benefits that will address their medical expenses and ensure that they receive a certain percentage of their income while they are recovering from their injuries. While workers’ comp laws apply to all employees, people in high-risk occupations may be able to receive some additional benefits and protections to ensure that they will have the financial resources they need as they address work-related injuries. Police officers will want to understand the laws that apply to them in these situations, and they can take steps to ensure that they receive the full benefits they deserve following an injury or work-related health condition.
Full Disability Benefits for California Police Officers
What Are the Consequences of Workers’ Compensation Fraud?
Employees who experience work-related injuries are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits, including coverage for medical treatment and partial compensation for income lost due to a temporary or permanent disability, are available regardless of who was at fault for an injury. If a person can show that they were injured in a workplace accident or otherwise suffered injuries or health issues that arose out of the work they performed, they will qualify for workers’ comp benefits. However, workers should also be aware of the potential for workers’ compensation fraud, including situations where employees or employers may be accused of committing fraud.
Can I Receive Workers’ Comp if I Am Injured While Working at Home?
Employers will often offer their employees the opportunity to work from home. This has been a significant benefit for many workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, since remaining in the home can help employees prevent possible infections while still ensuring that they are able to accomplish their daily tasks. However, as more and more people telecommute, situations may arise where employees may experience work-related accidents or injuries even when they are not in an office or a location that would typically be considered a workplace. In these cases, employees may be unsure about whether they are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Eligibility for Workers’ Comp Following an Injury When Working From Home
Workers’ compensation provides benefits in most situations where an employee is injured in the workplace. Even though a person’s home is a separate location from the premises owned or leased by an employer, it is still considered a workplace if a person performs work there. Generally, an employee is eligible for workers’ comp if they were injured during the course of their employment, and the injury arose out of the work they performed. Eligibility is not affected by who was responsible for an injury; even if an injury occurred because of an employee’s mistake, the person will still be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, as long as the injury was work-related.
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