LAX Employee Worker’s Compensation Lawyer

Los Angeles International Airport, opened initially as Mines Field in 1930, became Los Angeles International Airport in 1949. Called LAX for short now, it has 2900 acres being used as the active airport, and consistently serves over 76 million passengers annually in both domestic and international flights. LAX directly employs a little over 3300 badged employees, but its impact to Los Angeles and the state is much more impressive. When you estimate all the jobs that support LAX operations, both on the grounds and off-site, the number of jobs grows to more than 600,000 people doing all kinds of different jobs. Los Angeles World Airlines is the operating arm of LAX and is a department within the City of Los Angeles. This is noteworthy because they are self-insured for worker’s compensation claims, like a great many large city and state entities. If you are employed at LAX and are injured at work, please get in touch with Normandie Law Firm. There are some key pieces of information we can share with you before you file a worker’s compensation claim. The first of which is that many of their benefits and processes closely follow that of the State of California’s worker’s compensation insurance.

Being employed by LAX allows you to apply for and work in a wide variety of jobs. It operates as a small city and requires a diverse workforce capable of performing jobs such as sanitation, as well as firefighters and police officers, to name a few. If you are injured at work, we want you to know that you can call the team at Normandie Law Firm if you need help. No matter what assistance you need, our legal team will take your call day or night. Our goal is to give you the information you should have when you need it. When you contact our staff at Normandie Law Firm, we will answer your questions as quickly as possible. If your call doesn’t fully resolve the questions or concerns you might be working through, we will schedule you for a free initial consultation with an LAX employee worker’s compensation lawyer. We can meet with you as soon as we are able to.

During our initial meeting, we are going to ask you about the details around the accident, the when and how it happened information, the circumstances that surrounded the incident itself, the history of the hazard that caused the event, as well as the injury, diagnosis for treatment, and the impact of all this on your life and ability to work. We will get that info documented for reference in a file, and then discuss how the worker’s compensation benefits can help you. Worker’s comp can get your medical bills and some of your lost income paid if you miss work while healing. It can address some other needs, too, if the need is there. One thing about the worker’s compensation insurance program you need to know is the expectation of reporting and filing times the program has. This is critical because it will impact getting treated and making sure you aren’t out of pocket.

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The Time Limits For Reporting And Filing A Claim With Worker’s Compensation

A standard workplace injury has a time limit for notifying your employer in writing and for filing the actual claim document. The written notification is 30 calendar days, and the time period starts on the date of the incident. You have a time limit of 1 year to complete the claim form that allows you to officially file for benefits. Your employer has one business day to provide you with that form. The time limit may be 1 year from the date of your injury, but Normandie Law Firm recommends that you complete the paperwork as soon as possible and get it submitted. If you need help in filing your claim, do not wait to contact the team at Normandie Law Firm. We can help you answer questions about completing the paperwork before any deadline arrives. If you wait more than 30 days to notify in writing about the injury, your claim will likely be denied. This means that any medical care you receive will be paid for out of pocket. There is also an additional time limit that is focused on non-typical injuries. It is specific to injuries that are a result of what is referred to as cumulative trauma.

What Is A Cumulative Trauma Injury?

Cumulative trauma is a diagnosis that attributes the cause of an injury to events or activities that take place over a period of time, sometimes months or years. The activity is usually part of your daily or weekly routine and involves repetitive actions. Examples include lifting heavy items over time, which can lead to back strain and damage, or working in a loud environment, which can cause a gradual loss of hearing. If you are diagnosed with cumulative trauma injury, you are still allowed to file a claim. Your injury will not have a recent start date, but these injuries have their own time limit.  That time limit is one year, and it begins with the first day of work you miss because of the illness or pain, and you become aware that the injury is job related. Another critical note on cumulative trauma is that the diagnosis has to come from a medical professional.

Common Injuries And Hazards For Worker’s Comp Claims With Our Clients

Many different kinds of jobs have some common injuries and claims that are shared across organizations and roles. Other injuries and hazards are unique to the job itself in terms of frequency or opportunity. Anyone can get burned at work, but if you are a firefighter at the airport, that risk is going to be a bit higher. Working at any job will have some risks that have nothing at all to do with the business or the hazards commonly associated with the business. They are just accidents, and they will be random in occurrence and severity. The different types of injuries and hazards the Normandie Law Firm sees in our clients typically start with slip or trip and falls that result in some head or neck injuries, sprains, and bone breaking. The most common injuries and hazards when working at an airport are:

• Minor sprains cause damage to your connective tissue of joints, which can lead to complete joint dislocations, almost always caused by a busy work space with material and customers moving about constantly

• Back and neck injuries that will include some muscle strains or pinched nerves, often from the handling of items that come and go from the airport, and in the delivery of these same items to a terminal or a plane

• Minor wounds like cuts and bruises due to the inevitable contact with moving machinery and the shifting of everything from cleaning supplies to luggage

• Other hazards will be encountered randomly, and they have nothing to do with your job or where you are working. They are:

• Environmental issues like storms causing damage to a building you are working in, flooding, or smoke from a fire, or concussions from a sudden evacuation

• Exposure to cleaning chemicals can cause irritation to your skin or eyes, or burns from a coffee maker

If you have been hurt at work, Normandie Law Firm always recommends that you ask for a complete medical exam when you are treated. There are plenty of opportunities to encounter issues during an event that may not show symptoms but can still be tested for. We also remind all of our clients not to delay seeking treatment if they believe they have been injured, no matter how insignificant the injury might appear.

What Kinds Of Injuries Are Going To Be Covered Under Worker’s Compensation?

An injury that happens to an employee while at work is typically covered under a workers’ compensation insurance program. There is no list of the types or severity of an injury that is covered. If you lose a toenail due to a workplace injury, it should be covered. There are a few situations where an injury would not be covered. Some examples include an employee being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or they hurt at a company event, but not work related. The injuries in cases like these may not be covered. All injuries and coverage are subject to investigation and approval.

The Benefits Offered By The Worker’s Compensation Program For Los Angeles City Employees

Below is a short list of benefits that are provided to all employees covered by worker’s comp insurance at LAX. They will receive these injury benefits that include, but are not limited to:

• Coverage for all reasonable medical care costs associated with both hospital and doctor’s offices and services, any rental of medical devices such as wheelchairs, hospital beds for home recovery, a cane or crutches, the costs of your prescription medications, as well as therapy or rehabilitation

• An immediate authorization of $10,000 within one day of filing the claim for medical treatment

• Rapid claim presumption, which assures that within 90 days of submission, there is an assumption of approval if a claim has not been rejected in that time frame

• Short-term disability covers two-thirds of the employee’s weekly income for a maximum of 104 weeks

• Permanent disability will provide income for long-term wage replacement at a value based on the employee’s job role, age of the employee, and the severity of the injury suffered by the employee

• Supplemental job displacement voucher worth up to $6,000 for permanently disabled workers with no alternative work role available

• Death benefits are paid to the family, and a burial allowance is paid if the accident led to the passing of the employee as a result of the injuries or treatment

Can The Employer Be Sued For Accidents And Injuries To An Employee?

Under normal circumstances, if the worker’s comp insurance is going to cover an injury, no one can sue an employer for being injured at work. Worker’s compensation is insurance that is considered an exclusive remedy for workplace injuries. Benefits are paid regardless, as it is considered to be no-fault. To receive the benefits, the employee will be asked to waive the right to sue for damages.

If an employer can be shown to have created the work hazard or caused the injury through willful misconduct or a reckless disregard for the safety of their employees, they may be guilty of what is termed gross negligence. This will typically open the door to filing a personal injury lawsuit. This should be discussed with your LAX employee worker’s compensation lawyer as soon as you suspect this has happened. Please note that the lawsuit can only include damages that have not been paid. For example, you can claim pain and suffering as well as the remaining value of lost wages. 

Upfront Expenses And Normandie Law Firm Policy

When you hire a Normandie Law Firm LAX employee worker’s compensation lawyer to represent you, our policy is not to charge any upfront costs or fees. We will bill for services once the case is over. If we do not win your lawsuit, our policy is not to bill for services at all. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Normandie Law Firm about any questions or concerns you have if you have been hurt at LAX while on the job.

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