If you or someone you love suffered an injury recently while working as an electrician, a Southern California electrician worker injury attorney is the best asset to have on your side as you work toward securing compensation for your damages. California enforces some of the strictest workers’ compensation laws in the country, and virtually all employees in all industries throughout California have the right to file workers’ compensation claims when injured at work. However, legal counsel you can trust is a valuable lifeline when you must navigate a complex claim process while managing the aftermath of your injury.
The Mitchell Law Corporation has extensive experience managing difficult workers’ compensation claims on clients’ behalf throughout Southern California, including electrician worker injuries. We understand the devastating effects these injuries can have on the victim and their family, and our goal is to help our clients maximize their recoveries as much as state law permits.
If you have suffered an electrical injury at work, you may assume that workers’ compensation covers you and that you should have minimal trouble filing your claim and securing the compensation you need to recover. While it’s true that almost all employers in California must carry workers’ compensation insurance, the actual claim process is more demanding than many claimants expect. Additionally, you could have grounds for additional legal actions outside the workers’ compensation system.
Working with an experienced Southern California electrician worker injury lawyer is the best way to approach your recovery. The right attorney can help you identify all of your available options for legal recourse after an injury at work. Instead of attempting to manage your recovery and the demands of your workers’ compensation claim all on your own, you can rely on your experienced legal team to manage your legal affairs while you focus on recovery. When you have grounds for additional legal action, your legal team can assist with this and potentially enhance your overall recovery substantially.
Ultimately, you are most likely to succeed with a workers’ compensation claim when you have legal representation. However, the right attorney can also help you secure far more compensation than you may have expected initially. The Mitchell Law Corporation has years of experience working with injured clients throughout Southern California. We know how workers’ compensation insurance carriers in the area tend to handle workplace injury claims. We will help you navigate the workers’ compensation claim process as efficiently as possible, address any issues that arise during this process, and ultimately guide you to the fullest recovery possible for your situation.
Even the most experienced electrician workers in Southern California can make mistakes, and electrical work can pose unpredictable hazards in many ways. When an electrician suffers an injury at work, they could face life-threatening medical complications if they do not secure immediate treatment. Additionally, many electrical accidents result in injuries that pose long-term medical complications to the victim. Some commonly reported electrical accident injuries in Southern California include:
Injured electricians often face very complex and painful treatment immediately following these injuries and struggle with long-term medical complications because of their electrical accidents.
When you suffer an injury at work or while performing your job duties, you are likely covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. The only exceptions to this would depend on the terms of your employer’s policy. For example, if you caused your injury because you were working under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you could be barred from seeking workers’ compensation benefits. However, if the injury occurred due to an honest mistake or an unpredictable hazard at work, you would be able to file a claim.
The injured worker should report their injury to their immediate supervisor as soon as possible. If the worker requires immediate emergency care, they can visit any available doctor for treatment. However, if they can do so following their injury, they should prepare to see a workers’ compensation doctor. Every workers’ compensation insurance carrier will provide claimants with lists of local doctors they can visit for examination after their workplace injuries. If you must see another doctor in an emergency, you must see a workers’ compensation doctor once you stabilize.
The workers’ compensation doctor will examine your injury and assign a disability rating to your case based on the severity of the injury and whether you face long-term medical complications because of it. This rating will inform the level of benefits you receive from your claim determination. The workers’ compensation insurance carrier will review your claim forms and the report from the workers’ compensation doctor to determine your eligibility for benefits.
A successful workers’ compensation claim typically provides two forms of benefits to the claimant. First, they can expect the workers’ compensation insurance company to cover the cost of all medical treatment they require to heal from their injury and manage their symptoms. This includes any ongoing treatment costs related to necessary rehabilitative care. The claimant will also likely receive disability benefits if they cannot work while recovering.
In California, most claimants will qualify for temporary disability benefits that can be paid at about two-thirds of the claimant’s average weekly wages before their injury. Temporary benefits can continue for up to 104 weeks, but the claimant may elect to have these benefits paid out for five years if necessary.
Some claimants will qualify for partial disability benefits if they cannot earn as much income due to their injury but can still handle lower-paying work. However, claimants who continue to work while receiving workers’ compensation benefits must be careful to report all of their earnings to the workers’ compensation insurance carrier and only perform work they are medically fit to handle. Otherwise, they could face an accusation of workers’ compensation fraud.
The laws involving workers’ compensation in California typically protect employers from liability for injuries their employees sustain while on the job. But, this does not apply if the employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance as required by state law. Additionally, the employee may also be able to file a personal injury claim if their employer or a co-worker intentionally caused the injury or if the injury resulted from extreme negligence from the employer.
If an electrician worker suffers an injury at work due to the actions of a third party, the injured worker would likely have grounds to pursue a third-party personal injury claim against whoever caused their injury. A successful personal injury case can enhance the victim’s overall recovery, allowing them to seek compensation for damages that are typically not covered under workers’ compensation insurance, such as their pain and suffering.
Ultimately, any electrical injury can lead to extensive medical complications and very tedious legal proceedings. Whether you have cause to file a workers’ compensation claim, a personal injury claim, or both in response to your electrical injury at work, the right attorney will make a tremendous difference in the quality of your recovery experience. The Mitchell Law Corporation has years of experience taking clients through complicated workers’ compensation cases and personal injury cases, so we are prepared to handle whatever your case requires. If you need to speak with a Southern California electrician worker injury attorney about your case, contact the Mitchell Law Corporation today.
