At Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto, we provide strong representation for workers hurt on the job in accidents involving transportation. We help victims demand the maximum recovery support available. 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 is worth and how to hold an employer responsible.
Do I Need a Lawyer for My Transportation Accident Workers’ Compensation Claim?
The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) explains that injured workers may benefit from representation provided by a lawyer if they feel their employer is treating them unfairly. The Department also recommends having a lawyer if the victim has suffered a permanent physical disability due to a workplace accident.
Victims may also want to consult a lawyer in these situations:
- If an employer and the employer’s Workers’ Comp insurance provider aren’t taking the victim’s injury seriously
- If victims don’t feel they’ll earn enough in support alone and want to earn more
- If Workers’ Comp insurance providers are trying to discredit the victim’s accident to avoid having to take financial responsibility
- If a victim must present a case to a Workers’ Compensation judge
A skilled Modesto Workers’ Compensation Lawyer investigates your case and collects all evidence to protect you from these shady tactics.
Modesto Transportation Accident Dangers
Employers must provide safe work environments for all employees. That includes the cab of a truck or a work car. People who drive or work around large trucks and other vehicles for a company or corporation must be provided with the safest vehicles and supported when they are in accidents.
Job duties may send truckers, farmers, inspectors, and sales representatives out into Modesto, Stanislaus County, and beyond. If they are in work vehicles and/or on company business, they can seek help if they get injured in an accident. Employees who help load trucks and work in warehouses and on loading docks are also empowered to seek Workers’ Compensation support.
These are just a few of the types of accidents we can help victims earn Workers’ Compensation support for:
- Accidents and injuries involving company cars
- Semi-truck and delivery van accidents and injuries
- Support for construction workers traveling between worksites and delivering materials
- Agricultural workers in farm vehicle accidents
- Accidents involving shuttle buses
- Injuries on loading docks
- Pedestrian injuries around work vehicles, including forklifts and order pickers
What Can Cause Workers’ Comp Claims to Be Rejected?
Transportation injury liability for employers usually wouldn’t extend to accidents occurring on the commute to work or back home. However, employers could be liable if they provided the vehicle the employee was in. If the employee had to make stops for the company on the way to work, that may also leave an employer accountable for injuries suffered in an accident.
Some other factors may cause a California Workers’ Comp claim to 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
- If you failed to report your injury to your employer within 30 days
Employers may omit facts about your accident to escape blame for your injury. They may try to delay filing your Workers’ Compensation claim by using any of these excuses, even if they aren’t true. Sometimes an employee’s story is covered up 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 administrators make the right decision this time.
Earning Support for Workers Hurt in Modesto Transportation Accidents
The State’s Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) Injured Worker’s Handbook goes over the types of support victims can receive while recovering from exposure to a harmful substance on the job.
Your attorney would seek these benefits and more for you and your family:
- Support to pay all hospital bills
- Replacement for a percentage of the paychecks you’ve lost
- Longterm support if you develop a permanent physical disability
- Money to go towards education and training for a new career if you can’t return to your former job
- Death benefits to help families get buy after losing a loved one to a workplace accident and the income that may have supported family members
Can I Sue My Employer After Suffering an Injury While Behind the Wheel for Work?
Injured workers are usually limited to drawing support from Workers’ Compensation. In many cases, a lawsuit against an employer would not be successful. However, in some circumstances, victims can seek additional compensation by taking the company or corporation they work for to court.
If an employer is proven to have been reckless with the safety of employees or to have covered up knowledge of safety hazards, a lawsuit could be effective. This type of disregard for employee safety would likely fall under “gross negligence.” It’s a legal term that describes such careless behavior towards the safety of others that the accident could almost be considered intentional.
A skilled Modesto Workers’ Compensation Lawyer can help you maximize your Workers’ Comp support while also investigating whether a lawsuit against an employer is a good option. Through a lawsuit, you could earn support for factors that Workers’ Comp doesn’t cover, such as the pain you’ll have to live with and the emotional trauma a frightening accident can cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a deadline for reporting my transportation injury to my company?
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.
Can Union Members Benefit from Having a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
Yes. Union members still receive benefits from California’s Division of Workers Compensation after they’ve been hurt. A skilled lawyer can represent them and often earn them more to pay recovery costs. A lawyer can also make sure employers extend the additional benefits guaranteed through a labor agreement. This can mean a bigger refund on lost income and stronger protections to make sure injured victims don’t lose their jobs.
What If I Don’t Have Any Money to Pay a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
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 settlement check an at-fault driver’s car insurer must pay you.
Contact a Modesto Workers’ Compensation Transportation Accident Attorney
Contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto to schedule a free, confidential consultation with a real Modesto Workers’ Compensation Lawyer. We also protect victims from across Stanislaus County. 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 the level of support you should expect for your injury before an insurance adjuster tries to convince you it’s worth nothing at all.