The Experienced Team To Help You Get Benefits For A Workplace Injury

Workplace injuries put the injured worker at risk of damaged health, inability to work, and lost income. Families and dependents relying on are put at risk, as their survival and well-being depend on the head of the household wage earner. The inability to work and its loss of income puts hard-earned and vital assets such as homes, and cars at risk when bills and payments are not paid.

Workers’ compensation is set up for the employer to pay or provide insurance to pay medical expenses and lost wages for an employee injured on the job. The injured employee may need an experienced California workers’ compensation attorney to help get through the workers’ compensation claims process. Meechan Rosenthal & Karpilow PC serves injured workers in Mendocino, Marin, Napa, and Lake counties.

Workplace Injuries: Important Information To Know

The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), labels an injury as work-related when the event or exposure in the person’s work environment caused or contributed to the resulting condition. If a pre-existing injury is significantly aggravated by an event or exposure in the person’s work environment, the injury is also regarded as work-related. According to OSHA, the work environment includes the materials or equipment used by the person in doing his or her work, as well as the location or locations where the person works or is present “as a condition of their employment.”

According to the California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation 2012 Annual Report, the California private sector reported the following California nonfatal workplace accident events and exposures.

• 36 percent, or 25,260 claims, of injuries were due to contact with an object or equipment
• 24 percent, or 17,160 claims, of injuries were caused by falls
• 20 percent, or 14,120 claims, of injuries were caused by overexertion (overexertion in lifting and lowering)
• 7 percent, or 4,800 claims, of injuries were transportation-related incidents
• 5 percent, or 3,470 claims, of injuries were slips and trips

According to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, workers’ compensation claims were filed for the following workplace injuries from 2007-2013. The following reported injuries are ranked by highest incidence:

• Overexertion
• Struck by object
• Fall (on the same level)
• Bodily reaction
• Fall (to lower level)
• Struck against an object
• Caught-in or compressed by equipment of object
• Exposure to noxious, caustic, or allergic substances

Other serious illnesses that may affect your ability to work include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, or asthma.

A Caring Approach Led By Board-Certified Specialists

We use a family-style approach to help our clients get past the workplace injury and on with their lives. We know that getting back to work is possible in some cases and others require another path. We face the bad news, and discuss what we can do about it.

Two of our lawyers are recognized by the State Bar as board-certified Workers’ Compensation Specialists. They have also completed dozens of hours of continuing education on workers’ compensation law and have a thorough understanding of the issues in your case.

Learn How We Can Help You Seek Benefits

Please contact a workers’ compensation attorney today to schedule a free consultation. To begin, please call 707-528-4409 or send us an email. Hablamos español.