Riverside Work Accident Lawyer

Injured in a work-related accident in Riverside, California? Call The Dominguez FIrm for a free consultation at 800-818-1818.

You should never need to sacrifice your safety for a job. However, too often, employees must work in unsafe environments or without the proper safety equipment, leading to injury.

You may be legally entitled to compensation if you experienced an injury or illness while completing your job duties. However, working with a qualified workers’ compensation attorney is essential to improve your case’s outcome.

At The Dominguez Firm in Riverside, CA, we provide knowledgeable advice, legal service, and representation to injured workers. Our Riverside work injury accident law firm can help you receive maximum compensation for the injuries and lost wages you experienced from your accident.

Read our client reviews to learn how our legal team has helped other Riverside County injured employees receive compensation for work-related injuries.

California Injured Workers Statistics

In 2020, 463 fatal workplace injuries occurred in California. The number of workplace fatalities in the state has increased slightly since 2016, as follows:

• 2016: 376
• 2017: 376
• 2018: 422
• 2019: 451
• 2020: 463

A significant number of nonfatal workplace injuries occur in California as well. In 2020, approximately 448 nonfatal work injuries occurred across the state.

Industries With the Highest Workplace Injury Rates

Work injuries can happen in any industry and workplace. However, some industries tend to have more work-related injuries than others.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly half of all fatal workplace injuries across the U.S. in 2020 occurred amongst workers in the following industries:

• Transportation and material moving
• Construction and extraction

Meanwhile, the fatal injury rate among fishing and hunting workers was approximately 132.1 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. Around 71% of these fatalities occurred due to transportation incidents.

What Is a Workplace Injury?

A workplace injury is any type of injury sustained by an employee while performing their job duties. This type of injury can occur in the workplace or while the employee completes work-related tasks outside the workplace.

Workers’ compensation laws also encompass illnesses. For example, you could receive compensation if you were exposed to a hazardous substance that led you to develop cancer or another disease.

Common Types of Workplace Accidents and Injuries

Workplace accidents can result in injuries ranging from mild to severe. Fatal injuries can also occur. Here are a few of the most common workplace accidents that produce injuries:

• Slip and fall accidents: Accidents in which employees slip on or trip over hazardous surfaces
• Car accident cases: Accidents that occur while employees are driving work vehicles
• Equipment and machinery accidents: Accidents in which malfunctioning equipment or machinery injures an employee

These accidents can produce minor to moderate job-related injuries such as:

• Broken bones
• Scrapes
• Bruises
• Concussions
• First or second-degree burns

They can also produce severe injuries, such as:

• Loss of limbs
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Third-degree burns

Hazardous workplace conditions can also create a repetitive stress injury that worsens over the months or years of the employee’s tenure. Workplace injuries can also cause emotional distress, making it challenging for injured employees to move forward.

The worst Riverside work accidents can cause catastrophic injuries or death.

What Is Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that Riverside, CA, employers must hold. This insurance policy gives benefits to employees who experience work-related illnesses or injuries.

You can receive workers’ compensation even if your injury was not your employer’s fault. Almost any injury or illness that occurs during work responsibilities can qualify for a workers’ compensation claim.

Riverside county workers’ compensation benefits can include any of the following:

• Medical care: Medical treatment for your illness or injury and funds to cover existing medical bills
• Temporary disability benefit: Funds to make up for lost wages during your recovery
• Permanent disability benefits: Funds to supplement the lost wages and pain and suffering from permanent injuries
• Supplemental job displacement benefits: Payments or vouchers for training to help you qualify for a new job after a permanent disability
• Death benefits: Funds given to the family members of an injured worker who died as a result of their work injury

Typically, the insurance company will determine which healthcare practice will treat your workplace injury or illness. However, you may be able to predesignate a physician before an injury occurs.

If you were injured in a traffic accident while driving for your job, you may be able to also file a personal injury claim for your medical bills and the cost to repair or replace the vehicle you were driving.

A qualified work injury lawyer can help you navigate the workers’ compensation system and receive the benefits you need to ensure your health and well-being.

What Is the Workers’ Compensation Claim Process?

The workers’ compensation system can be confusing, especially while recovering from a serious injury.

However, following the proper steps is essential. Here are the steps you should follow in the workers’ compensation claims process:

1. Notify your employer: You should notify your employer as soon after the injury occurs as possible. You can’t proceed with a workers’ comp claim if your employer isn’t aware of the incident.
2. Submit a workers’ comp claim form: Your employer should provide you with a claim form that you can submit to the company’s claims administrator.
3. Choose your physician: If you have a predesignated physician that your employer approved before the injury, you can receive medical care from that person. If not, you will need to choose a Riverside County physician in your employer’s medical provider network.
4. Seek medical treatment: You can complete the initial medical appointments before receiving a workers’ comp payout.
5. Receive a decision from the claims administrator: After reviewing your claim, the insurer will approve or deny the claim and issue your benefits.

Contact The Dominguez Firm today for a free consultation at (800)818-1818.

How Much Money Can You Receive From a Southern California Workers’ Compensation Claim?

California law specifies the amount of money Riverside, CA, injured workers can receive through a workers’ comp claim. The minimum and maximum compensation amounts change annually based on the statewide average weekly wage.

In 2022, the minimum and maximum compensation amounts for California workers are as follows:

• Minimum: $230.95 per week
• Maximum: $1,539.71 per week

Your employer’s insurance company will determine your weekly disability benefits by calculating two-thirds of your pretax gross wage. For example, if you typically make $1,000 a week, your workers’ compensation benefits will be approximately $666 per week.

Working with qualified Riverside work injury attorneys can help you secure the funds you need for your medical expenses and lost wages due to your job-related injury.

How Can a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Help You?

Hiring a Riverside work injury attorney can improve your case’s outcome and maximize your compensation. Personal injury attorneys can provide numerous services to assist you throughout your work injury claim. Here are just a few ways a Riverside work injury lawyer can assist you:

• A work injury attorney can ensure you are eligible for workers’ comp before proceeding with a claim.
• Your Riverside work injury lawyers can help you understand your legal rights in a work-related injury.
• Your work injury attorney can walk you through your legal options to seek compensation.
• An experienced lawyer can communicate with your employer on your behalf.
• Your work accident lawyer in Riverside can negotiate with the insurance company to increase your payout.
• A Riverside County work injury attorney can guide you through the workers’ compensation claim process.
• A Riverside work injury lawyer can provide legal advice through a strong attorney-client relationship.
• Your work-related injury attorney can aid your financial recovery.

Altogether, working with a Riverside work injury attorney can help you have the best experience after your Riverside work injury.

At The Dominguez Firm, our personal injury lawyers have decades of experience helping injured clients across various practice areas, including work injury cases. We’ve helped injured clients recover over a $1 billion* in settlements and verdicts.

Our legal team is prepared to help you seek compensation for medical expenses and lost wages and guide you through your personal injury claim. We’ll handle the entire workers’ comp process for you, allowing you to focus on your recovery from your work injury.

Contact The Dominguez Firm at (800) 818-1818 for a free consultation today.