Bakersfield Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

In California, every company with at least one full-time or part-time employee is required by law to maintain workers’ compensation insurance coverage for all their employees. If you are classified as an employee and recently got hurt or became seriously ill due to work-related conditions, you have grounds to file a claim under your employer’s workers’ comp policy and seek benefits to make up for specific financial losses your injury or illness cause.

Just because you should have access to workers’ comp benefits does not mean securing the benefits you deserve is easy—especially if you try to pursue a claim without support from a seasoned attorney. Fortunately, the help you need to get every cent of support you are owed under state law is available from our Bakersfield workers’ compensation lawyers, no matter what type of harm you have sustained or how long it will continue to negatively affect your life.

What Kinds of Injuries Does Workers’ Comp Cover?

Workers’ compensation covers all job-related injuries and illnesses on a fault-free basis. Covered employees can file a claim for and ultimately receive benefits without needing to prove anyone specifically at fault for the harm they have suffered. In this context, a job-related injury or illness is generally one that stems directly from an accident that occurred or conditions a worker was exposed to while they were on the clock and performing assigned duties as part of their employment.

Workers’ comp does not cover injuries or illnesses that stem directly from a worker engaging in horseplay or acting irresponsibly on the job. Workers’ comp law prohibits covered employees from filing suit directly against their employers after any kind of workplace accident, although our Bakersfield attorneys may be able to help pursue a claim against a third party that contributed to causing a work-related injury through their own negligence.

Available Benefits Through a Workers’ Comp Claim

Eligible workers’ comp claimants are entitled to full reimbursement for the costs of all reasonably necessary medical care needed to help them reach maximum medical improvement, including transportation costs for travel to and from doctors’ appointments. If a work-related injury or illness renders an employee unable to work for an extended period of time, they can also receive temporary disability benefits—usually equal to about two-thirds of the wages or salary they are missing out on—for up to two years after initially sustaining harm.

If a workplace accident or illness irreversibly reduces an employee’s working capacity, those temporary disability benefits can be expanded into permanent disability benefits. Depending on the severity of the disability, permanent benefits may include vocational rehabilitation services or life pension payments as well. Finally, if a worker passes away directly due to a work-related condition, our lawyers can help their family members in Bakersfield seek death benefits through their loved one’s workers’ comp coverage.

Consider Working with a Bakersfield Workers’ Compensation Attorney

While workers’ comp benefits can be a vital financial lifeline for people who get hurt or sick on the job, they can also be surprisingly difficult to obtain even if you have lots of evidence supporting your right to receive them. Between confusing rules for filing workers’ comp petitions and the strong opposition you may receive from insurance companies and even your own employer, this is not a fight you want to take on alone.

Retaining our skilled Bakersfield workers’ compensation lawyers could dramatically improve your chances of getting through the claims process quickly and obtaining all the benefits you need. Call today for a consultation.