A Skilled Attorney Can Help You Get Fair and Full Workers’ Compensation Benefits
If you have been injured on the job then you should be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Unfortunately, many people do not know what benefits are available to them or how to file for them. The best option is to contact DLC Law at (626) 285-8815 to speak with a Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist by the State Bar of California
In the meantime, learn about some of the benefits you could be eligible for depending on your situation.
An overview of California workers’ compensation benefits
Workers compensation benefits include:
- Medical costs related to the work injury
- Lost wages related to the work injury
- Temporary or permanent disability benefits
- Future Medical Treatment
- Retraining and/or job displacement benefits
When a worker completes a workers compensation claim form for a job injury, an injured worker becomes eligible for California workers’ compensation benefits. Before payments are given, the insurance company must determine whether or not a job injury has occurred. The insurance company will send the worker forms with its decision.
If the insurance company issues a Notice of Denial of Workers Compensation Benefit then you must take action.
An injured worker who is not getting benefits can submit an Application for Adjudication of Claim, seek a Mandatory Settlement Conference, and then request a trial on the rejected benefit.
Covered Medical Care
Medical care for the job injury is included in California workers’ compensation benefits. A wounded worker, on the other hand, must be treated by a doctor in a specific network known as a Medical Provider Network (MPN).
A consistent degree of treatment is provided to injured workers. The frequency, length, and appropriateness of any therapy typically conducted in workers’ compensation claims are all determined by medical treatment standards.
Through a procedure known as Utilization Review, all MPN physicians must adhere to medical treatment criteria (UR). Requests for medical care are submitted to an impartial physician who can approve, modify, or deny the medical treatment request.
The treating physician will continue to treat the worker until he or she feels that more therapy will be ineffective. A Permanent and Stationary Report will be written by the treating doctor at this stage.
Worker’s compensation benefits include reimbursement for mileage
For travel to and from all medical visits, an injured worker is entitled to mileage compensation. This includes going to the pharmacy to pick up medications.
Temporary disability benefits
Payments for an injured worker’s incapacity to work owing to an injury are known as temporary disability benefits. The rate is two-thirds of the average weekly pay of the worker. Within five years after the date of injury, these benefits are restricted to 104 weeks. These benefits are limited to a total of 104 weeks within a window of five years. Serious injuries have a longer limit of 240 weeks of payment. These injuries include: (A) Acute and chronic hepatitis B, (B) Acute and chronic hepatitis C, (C) Amputations, (D) Severe burns, (E) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), (F) High-velocity eye injuries, (G) Chemical burns to the eyes, (H) Pulmonary fibrosis, (I) Chronic lung disease.
Permanent disability benefits
Permanent disability payments are computed on a 0 to 100 percent scale based on the permanent loss of function. Depending on the severity of impairment, this is paid on a weekly basis for a specific length of time. A maximum weekly payment of $290 is available and will be paid based depending on the level of disability.
How to dispute a workers’ compensation denial
An injured worker might request that a new doctor assess him or her to establish his or her status if he or she feels the treating doctor did not issue the right permanent disability. This is referred to as a med-legal examination. There is the option of having a trial on the matter if there are two competing medical reports on the amount of permanent impairment.
The injured worker can speak about the accident, and the court will examine medical findings and documents before determining the amount of impairment.
Let us help you get the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve
If you have been injured at work then you deserve to be awarded the maximum benefits available to you. The best way to ensure you can do that is to work with an experienced attorney. Contact DLC Law at (626) 285-8815 now to request a consultation.