At Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto, we provide strong representation for workers who suffered burn injuries on the job. We demand the maximum recovery support for victims. Victims and their families should contact a skilled Workers’ Compensation lawyer and schedule a free consultation. It’s a no-risk way to determine what your injury or illness is worth and how to hold an at-fault employer responsible.
Do I Need a Lawyer for My Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Workers who have suffered burn injuries should consider using a skilled Modesto Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for their case if they feel their employers aren’t treating them fairly. They should talk over their cases with a lawyer if they feel their employers aren’t taking their injuries seriously.
Consulting with an attorney is a critical step if you are dealing with a serious injury that causes you to miss more than a few days of work. A lawyer can often earn you much more in Workers’ Compensation support than you could earn yourself. Not everyone gets the same level of support from California’s Workers’ Compensation system. A lawyer can make the difference.
You should also speak with a lawyer if you feel you need protection from unfair tactics used by an employer or the employer’s Workers’ Comp Insurance provider. Employers often try to avoid blame in accidents. They may question how badly you are hurt. A lawyer investigates your case and provides a strong defense against these shady tactics. The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) explains some other instances where you may benefit from having legal representation.
Burn Hazards On The Job in Modesto
Plenty of professions put workers dangerously close to flames and hot surfaces. Modesto employers are responsible for providing safe work environments. They must take safety precautions and provide training to reduce the risk of fires and explosions. The owners of companies and corporations, farms, and construction businesses, must provide safety gear to prevent injury.
Some workers must use hot water in their work, and scalding temperatures would be a hazard that employers must be responsible for. Any place of business, can suffer a fire or blast and endanger the lives of workers.
When employees get hurt, owners and operators must pledge to help victims get Workers’ Compensation support and additional support if necessary.
These are just a few of the dangers that might leave victims in need of a Workers’ Compensation check:
- Exposure to open flames in a fire or as a part of a job duty
- Burns caused by breathing in smoke
- Burns caused by steam
- Chemical burns while working with dangerous substances
- Contact burns from touching superheated metals on machinery or tools
- Electrical burns that can cause internal injuries that aren’t immediately visible
- Explosions that cause burns and blunt-force trauma
Victims can be left with major injuries to their skin and internal damage. Their lives may be turned upside down physically and financially. That’s not to mention the emotional toll a traumatic injury can take. Victims and their families will need help paying for the best medical care available. They will also require help surviving economically while someone who provides for the family can’t work.
Employers can make it difficult to earn support, but a Modesto Workers’ Compensation Lawyer can handle the frustrating process and represent the victim to The California Division of Workers’ Compensation. A lawyer on the victim’s side demands the most in support possible. This is taken care of with as little disruption to the patient as possible.
What Causes Workers’ Comp Claims to Be Rejected?
These are a few of the reasons an employer may be able to escape blame and why a Workers’ Comp claim may be rejected:
- If you were hurt while you were playing or fooling around and not engaged in proper work duties
- If you ignored mandatory safety precautions
- If you were hurt while on a break or at lunch
- If you were hurt at an off-site work event like a holiday party you may not be covered
- Injuries sustained while you were on the way to work or driving home unless an employer-provided the transportation
- If you failed to report your injury to your employer within 30 days
Employers may stretch the truth in order to escape blame for your injury. They may claim any of these excuses are true, even if they aren’t. Sometimes an employee’s story is covered over in hopes the victim will give up on making a claim.
If you feel you’ve been blamed unfairly for your injury, it’s critical to speak with a lawyer about how to fight back. We can also help you if your first Workers’ Comp claim was denied. Our attorneys prepare a strong Worker’s Compensation appeal. Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers finds the evidence needed to help Workers’ Comp administrators make the right decision this time.
How Can a Workers’ Comp Lawyer Help My Case?
Stanislaus County workers with burn injuries might have to endure multiple surgeries, including skin grafts and reconstruction procedures. They may have to battle infections and complete physical therapy to restore a full range of motion back with new skin on limbs.
These challenges will obviously make it hard for patients to return to work. They can also keep a patient from presenting a strong case to Workers’ Compensation administrators and judges. Administrators need to hear the full scope of a patient’s journey through recovery so they can make a fair and accurate determination of what an insurer should provide to victims.
A Modesto Workers’ Compensation Lawyer can handle the frustrating process and represent the victim before The California Division of Workers’ Compensation.
These are just a few protections you’ll be able to count on when you trust your case to a skilled lawyer:
- Files your case
- Investigates your accident and secures the evidence needed to prove what happened
- Negotiates with Workers’ Compensation insurance providers to get the maximum compensation for you
- Defends you when employers make false accusations
- Appears before Workers’ Compensation administrators and judges on your behalf
- Makes sure your side of the store is heard
- Helps you prepare for a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) exam and makes sure an impartial doctor is selected
- Helps you file an appeal to a Workers’ Compensation ruling
- Files a lawsuit against employers if their negligence means they should provide more than Workers’ Compensation provides
- Files lawsuits if an employer makes threats toward you or fires you for reporting an accident
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an injured worker receive compensation for?
Workers’ Compensation should cover the medical bills relating to the injury. Victims would be reimbursed for a percentage of the paychecks they’ve lost while unable to work. This would be part of temporary or permanent disability benefits. Victims could receive help with the financial burden of having to train for a new career if they can’t return to a previous job. Families must also receive death benefits if a loved one is lost to a fatal workplace accident.
Is there a deadline for telling my boss about a workplace burn injury?
Yes. You must inform your manager or the company owner within a month of your injury. Alert them as soon as you can. If you wait, your case may be rejected and you won’t receive help with your medical costs.
How long can I wait to inform California Workers’ Compensation of my injury?
Victims can file a Workers’ Comp claim up to a year from the date of the accident. If a victim doesn’t know about the injury until later, the one-year countdown would begin on the date the injury was discovered.
Can undocumented workers receive Workers’ Compensation benefits in California?
Yes, their citizenship status doesn’t matter. California also prohibits employers from threatening or intimidating undocumented workers because they have reported an injury. A Modesto Workers’ Compensation Attorney will work to get those workers full benefits. Our lawyers also take quick legal action if employers try to intimidate or threaten a worker for reporting an injury. This behavior is illegal.
Contact a Modesto Workers’ Compensation Burn Injury Attorney
Contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto to schedule a free, confidential consultation with a real Modesto Workers’ Compensation Lawyer. We want to hear what happened to you and work on a plan to earn you the support you need.
We’re going to answer your questions and make sure you are prepared for the tactics you’ll face so you don’t forfeit valuable support. You’ll know what your burn injury is worth and what you’ll need for the future before an insurance adjuster tries to convince you it’s worth nothing at all.
Keep in mind, that you don’t have any savings to afford powerful legal representation. If you need our help earning what’s fair, we don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our pay comes out of the check Workers’ Comp provides to you.