The State of California leads the nation in population and in worker’s compensation claims, with more than 38 million residents and 19 million workers filing approximately 680,000 claims. The math works out to approximately 3.5% of the workforce filing a worker’s compensation claim each year. One of the frequent workplace injuries reported to worker’s compensation each year is trip and fall-related. More than 66,000 claims were made in two different classifications in 2023, accounting for a just a bit under 10% of all worker’s compensation claims made for the year. The classifications that count the falling accident description are “on the same level” and “Fall, Slip, Trip, Not Otherwise Classified” to reach that total. If you have been hurt on the job, we ask you to contact the Normandie Law Firm and ask to speak with a Bay Area extension cord trip and fall at work lawyer. We have a great deal of experience in helping people like you handle your worker’s compensation case.
Extension cord tripping incidents are somewhat unusual when you think about worker’s compensation cases, especially in terms of frequency and the fact that many jobs have some specific hazards. These hazards or opportunities for injury will frequently occur, driven by the kind of work being done, the industry itself, and the work environment in which the role requires you to work. Nobody is surprised to hear that firemen and food service professionals get burn injuries!
The trip and fall hazard occurs across many different jobs, industries, and roles, injuring any type of employee and in every work environment, from professional offices to road crews. The trip and fall can cause a variety of injuries, whose list is long for all the same reasons. If you have to file a worker’s compensation claim, please call our legal staff at the Normandie Law Firm. We are ready to share our knowledge and vast experience as it relates to workplace injuries and the worker’s comp program here in California.
No matter what your job is, or what industry you work in, please know that the Normandie Law Firm wants to help you with your worker’s compensation claim. Our team is ready to take your call day or night, around the clock. Our goal is to provide you with the information you need when you have been injured. When you contact the team at Normandie Law Firm, we will be ready to respond to questions about anything you are concerned about or simply do not know. If your first call doesn’t provide the answers you need, the staff will schedule a free initial consultation for you with a Bay Area extension cord trip and fall at work lawyer. We will get this on the calendar as soon as you have the time to sit down with us.
In that very first meeting, we will ask you to review with us the details around your accident and the information on the outcome of your injury, the hazard that caused the accident, and any additional information you want us to know about the event. Once that information is documented and reviewed, we will review with you how the worker’s compensation program works, as well as telling you about the benefits, how worker’s comp will cover your medical bills, and get you paid for your lost income covered if you missed work. If you haven’t completed the claim process at this time, the next thing we need to share with you is about the limited amount of time to get a claim filed with worker’s compensation.
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The Time Limit To File A Claim with Worker’s Compensation In California
The time limit for filing a claim with the worker’s compensation program is 30 calendar days, and that starts on the date of your injury and accident. If you do not get your claim filed in that 30-day window, the claim will be denied, minus any exigent circumstance. You are also entitled to file a worker’s compensation claim even if you no longer work at the company where the accident occurred. As long as the claim is opened within the 30-day time limit and the accident occurred on the premises, as an employee, this is permitted. There are some exceptions to the 30-day time limit, and one of them is any injury caused by cumulative trauma.
Cumulative Trauma Injuries And The Time Limit To File A Claim
A cumulative trauma injury is one that happens over a period of time from what is typically a non-traumatic injury. It is usually a repetitive task, such as typing or staring at a monitor for long periods, lifting items like batteries in a car repair shop, or similar tasks. The repetition introduces a type of wear on your body that eventually causes an injury through accumulation. The cumulative trauma injury has a 1-year time limit to file your claim. The time limit starts on the 1st day you seek treatment. The diagnosis needs to be from a medical professional and is not subjective.
The Common Injuries From Trip and Fall Accidents
It was discussed earlier that some jobs and roles have common injuries, often caused by hazards seen frequently, as well as the job performed and the environment in which it is performed. Since trip and fall injuries occur in any industry, what the Normandie Law Firm usually sees that differentiates between them is the severity of the injury itself, not the type or cause. The common injuries that Normandie Law Firm sees with our clients most often are below, and they include:
- Broken or fractured bones caused by impacting the surface you work on frequently, with the harder surfaces doing the most damage in terms of the severity of the fracture or break
- Sprains that damage the connective tissue of joints or may cause a complete joint dislocation, tearing ligaments and muscle tissue, or falling onto something already on the ground that is pointed or edged, similar to a box in a warehouse or a pallet on the floor
- Neck and back injuries, like muscle strains or pinched nerves, can occur from sudden or abrupt stops as you hit the ground
- Head injuries that range from a minor concussion all the way to skull fractures caused by hard falls and a failure to raise a hand or arm to break your fall or lessen the impact
The Normandie Law Firm always recommends to its clients that they request a full medical evaluation after a workplace accident. The injuries you have should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. It is common for someone to suffer shock after being injured. You may not notice other injuries or believe they might all be related to one another in that circumstance.
Is My Injury Always Going To Be Covered Under Worker’s Compensation?
When an employee gets hurt while at work and doing their job, any injury will typically be covered by the worker’s compensation program. There is no specific kind or type of injury that is not covered. What may cause a claim denial is if an investigation shows the accident happened due to behavior on the part of the employee. This means that the accident was in part or in total attributed to the conduct of the employee. For example, if an employee is involved in a vehicle accident and is found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Another example is if the injury isn’t related to work or to the workplace. The claim will likely be denied.
The Benefits Offered By The Worker’s Compensation Program To Injured Employees
Each employee in the State of California who is covered by worker’s compensation insurance may receive injury benefits listed below. They include, but are not limited to, the following:
- A total value of 1 million dollars for each injury incident, to pay for medical care covering both hospital and doctor’s bills, cost of prescriptions, physical therapy and rehabilitation, the rental or purchase cost of needed medical equipment like canes, crutches, braces, beds, or a wheelchair, and any other medical treatment-related costs
- If an employee is unable to return to work until they have recovered from their injuries, they will receive up to 66% of their regular weekly income for a period not to exceed 104 weeks, and not more than the state maximum short-term disability pay amount
- Should any employee suffer any long-term limitation or disability because of their workplace injury, the program provides long-term disability payments, including lifetime benefits
- If an employee has injuries that will prevent them from returning to work and doing their previous job, they are eligible for free vocational training in a different career after they are cleared to return to work by doctors
I Want To File A Lawsuit Against My Company For Causing My Injuries
You are permitted to sue your company if you have been injured at work and they are responsible, but only for a specific reason and circumstance. With the rules around worker’s comp and under normal circumstances, you are not permitted to sue your company for causing your injuries at work. Worker’s compensation is an exclusive remedy for workplace injuries. What this means is that worker’s compensation insurance is no fault and assumes liability of the company, and will cover your injuries and the associated costs to their limits. This permits immediate payment of benefits.
There are some things that worker’s compensation does not pay for completely. This is where the circumstances around the incident come into the equation. The company’s liability for causing your injuries is something that can be discussed with your Bay Area extension cord trip and fall at work lawyer. If there is a possibility that your employer committed gross negligence, you can file a lawsuit.
The damages you can sue for are going to be limited to those things that worker’s compensation does not cover 100% of, or pay at all. Examples would be the remaining difference between your regular weekly income and a pain and suffering component, or the loss of personal equipment, which would fall into this category. The legal definition of gross negligence in California is willful misconduct or a reckless disregard for the safety of others.
If you have questions regarding potential lawsuits and liability, the Normandie Law Firm is ready to help you determine the answers. If you have a case, we are prepared to represent you.
Are There Upfront Expenses When I Hire The Normandie Law Firm?
When you need to speak with a Normandie Law Firm Bay Area extension cord trip and fall at work lawyer, you will not be charged any upfront legal fees before we answer questions or even meet for the 1st time. If you hire us to represent you, we will not charge you any money up front. If we do not win your case, the Normandie Law Firm will still not bill you. Please get in touch with the Normandie Law Firm with questions you have about the worker’s compensation program in the State of California.
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