When you think of Workers’ Compensation, you are likely to picture people who work on construction sites or in the oil fields, not at a desk. Certainly, those who are working around dangerous machinery, heavy equipment, or dangerous chemicals are more likely to get hurt on the job. However, it is not just blue-collar tradesmen and manual laborers who sustain workplace injuries. Office employees can also be injured at work, and they just as eligible for Workers’ Compensation as any other type of worker. 

While you may be statistically much safer sitting behind a desk in an office, white-collar professionals can and do get injured at work. If you have been injured while working in an office building, you may want to speak to a lawyer for help with the process of getting Workers’ Compensation. 

Injuries Office Workers Are at Risk For

While the types of accidents that happen on riskier job sites can vary dramatically in nature, the types of accidents that happen in offices often fall into one of just a few simple categories. Office workers may be injured at work in accidents like: 

Evidence is everything in a Workers’ Compensation claim. In order to prove your case, you will need to show not only that your injury is genuine, but that it is work-related and prevents you from performing your job duties. One way that some employers will try to wriggle out of paying Workers’ Compensation is by arguing that an employee’s injury could have happened elsewhere or been caused by something other than your work. Gathering the right evidence, and quickly, can make or break a Workers’ Compensation case. It is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after getting hurt on the job so that they can advise you on what type of proof to gather, both right away, and while you are away from work recovering. 

Types of Evidence You May Need for Workers’ Compensation

The path to getting compensation for a routine work injury is meant to be a bit more streamlined than the path to getting compensation for say, a car accident or a slip-and-fall. However, this is not always the case. Some employers are quite cooperative and will readily help an injured worker recover these payments. Others will fight back and try anything to get out of paying. 

Whether you think your employer will be fairly cooperative or more inclined to resist, you should gather proof like: 

One of the more common reasons that injured workers may avoid filing a Workers’ Compensation claim is a fear of retaliation. Especially in difficult economic circumstances, employees may be very fearful of losing a good job. It may seem preferable to deal with a worksite injury alone, through your own medical insurance rather than risking job loss during the next round of layoffs. However, in California, it is illegal for an employer to fire someone for filing a claim with Workers’ Compensation. Doing so would be a form of wrongful termination, and you could have legal recourse. If a fear of retaliation is keeping you from filing for Workers’ Compensation, our attorneys may be able to help set your mind at ease and get you the funding you need. 

What California Law Says About Retaliation and Workers’ Compensation

Under California state law, your employer cannot fire you - or even threaten to fire you - because you filed a Workers’ Compensation claim or plan to do so. If you make your intention to file a claim known and are threatened with the possibility of losing your job, your employer is breaking the law and could actually be guilty of a criminal misdemeanor. The same is true if your employer actually goes through with firing you. 

Employers will sometimes make up excuses to fire employees who have filed for Workers’ Compensation. For example, they may terminate your employment the second you file a claim and then try to say you were actually fired for being 45 seconds late that one time. This approach is rarely effective - courts are smart enough to see right through the ruse. 

As if getting hurt at work is not bad enough, finding out that your rightful claim for Workers’ Compensation has been denied can make your life that much harder. Claims can be denied for any number of reasons, reasonable or otherwise. It could be that you are having a hard time proving that a repetitive stress injury was caused by your work, or that someone is under the false impression that you are exaggerating the extent of your injury.

Whatever reason you were given for having your claim denied, there may be steps an attorney can take to appeal the board’s decision and hopefully get you the compensation you need to get better. Cramer + Martinez knows how a denied claim can affect the financial health of your whole family, and we will fight to make it right. 

Appealing a Denied Workers’ Compensation Claim in California

If your initial claim was denied, do not panic. You have the right to appeal the decision, and it is best that you do so with assistance from a trained attorney. The first order of business will be to figure out why your claim was denied. Reasons your claim might have been denied include: 

Losing a limb is among the most dreaded types of permanently disabling injuries that one can suffer in the workplace. When you have lost an arm or a leg, or even a finger, it can take a long time for you to get back to a point where you can perform your normal activities of daily living. You will likely need extensive physical therapy, with or without a prosthesis, before you can do things like dressing yourself or cleaning your home. Having a limb severed also tends to come with a lot of pain - the pain alone associated with this injury can keep you from returning to work. While you may eventually be able to adjust to a new way of doing things, you may never be able to return to the type of work you were doing before the injury. Because this is such a major type of Workers’ Compensation claim, it is best to have an attorney handle your case. 

What You Should Know About Workers’ Compensation After Losing a Limb

While some people do very well with a prosthetic limb, others do not. At no point should you feel any obligation to be “inspiring.” Physical and mental recovery after the loss of a limb is an intensely personal affair. You deserve to receive compensation so that your injury does not come with a big financial hit. This is what Workers’ Compensation is for. 

Here are few considerations you should keep in mind as you explore your available options: