Heatstroke Worker’s Compensation Lawyer

The State of California worker’s compensation claims for heat related injuries continue to grow each year as the temperatures in California continue to increase. Our summers are hotter and longer every year. Most people associate the risks of having a heatstroke to working outdoors and doing very physical jobs. While it is true that many of the 10,000 cases reported annually come from outdoor labor jobs, the increase is from roles that do not match that criteria at all. The cause of this increase is an unpredictable combination of environments and circumstances. It is unknown exactly what the percentage of heat stroke is to all heat related illnesses, but at this point, the annual average continues to increase each year. If you have suffered a heatstroke, Normandie Law Firm has some critical details that you will want to know if you have to deal with the worker’s compensation program in California. When you need to speak with a heatstroke worker’s compensation lawyer, Normandie Law Firm is one phone call away.

No matter what your job is, it has something in common with every other job and company in California. If you get hurt at work, you are eligible for worker’s compensation insurance coverage. If you need questions answered or legal advice and representation, please do not hesitate to call Normandie Law Firm immediately. You can call us day or night. We will be able to provide you with a heatstroke worker’s compensation lawyer who is prepared to answer your questions. The focus for Normandie Law Firm is to give you access to legal information the moment you need it. We can schedule you for a free initial consultation with the Normandie Law Firm legal team in order to review your case in person and with greater detail. This allows everyone to make sure everyone has the information needed in order to understand the needs you have, as well as explain to you how the worker’s compensation system can best be used if you need to file a claim with worker’s compensation in California.

The details that will be the focus of that first meeting are the details about your accident and how it happened. This will include all of the steps that led up to the hazard you encountered, the specifics on the injury, including severity, and any other details that you think might apply to your claim. Once all that information has been gathered, we will explain to you how the worker’s compensation program will cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and more. The team at Normandie Law Firm is going to review with you all of the benefits you need to know about and can help you with. One of the most critical details that we need to ensure you understand is about the time limit you have to get a claim filed with worker’s compensation in the State of California.

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What Is The Time Limit To File A Worker’s Compensation Claim In California If I Am Injured At Work?
The time limit is 30 days when you need to file a claim with worker’s comp. The timer starts on the date of the accident. If your company doesn’t open all workers compensation claims or if they are working to discourage you from filing a claim, please reach out to Normandie Law Firm immediately. You have the right to open a worker’s compensation claim after an injury, even if you don’t work for the employer after the accident. If you were on payroll with them during the time of the incident, this is allowed. The 30 day time limit remains in effect, but being able to open a claim is not dependent on continued employment.

Common Symptoms Of Heat Related Injuries Or Heat Stroke
Normandie Law Firm, with decades of combined experience across our staff, understands that any job you have might expose you to heat related injuries, including a heat stroke. While many believe you have to be working in extreme heat, the fact is that if you lose commercial power at a high-rise office building, the evacuation down 25 flights of steps might create a heat related health issue. You will find yourself spending time in an unexpectedly warm stairwell with no water, and you will become dehydrated. The symptoms of heat related injuries that lead to exhaustion, the average person experiences the following:

• You experience profuse sweating
• Nausea and headaches may be experienced
• You are becoming dizzy or disoriented and need to sit down
• You suddenly feel exhausted and notice cramping in your large muscles
• There is an increased heart rate
• You are very thirsty and cannot quench it

If you think you are about to have a heatstroke, the list of symptoms is:

• Your body temperature is above 103°F
• Headaches and excessively dry or hot skin develop
• A rapid heart rate is detected
• You have an altered state of mind or an inability to focus on your tasks
• You experience a seizure, nausea, or you vomit
• You faint or lose consciousness totally

The symptoms you experience can be caused by anything that changes your body temperature sufficiently that the process begins. It is a bit subjective, but individual reactions will vary. The air temperature is going to be essential, but equally as critical is how well hydrated you are when working in an environment that normally gets associated with heat related injuries and illness. The reality of this injury is that nobody plans to experience a heat stroke.  The symptoms might be experienced during a pool party or while cutting your grass. The hazards are identical, and you need to react once they appear.

Are There Any Injuries That Will Not Be Covered By Worker’s Compensation In California?
If your injuries happen at work and you were doing your job, they should all get covered under the worker’s compensation program in the State of California. There are some exceptions to that statement, but they do not deal with the type of injury. Coverage has more to do with the circumstances involved with the accident than the type of injury when it comes to heat related accidents. One example of this is if an investigation shows that the injury was aided by an employee being under the influence of alcohol, creating a condition of dehydration already, the worker’s compensation program may not cover the incident and the injuries due to heat exhaustion or stroke. Another example might be attending a company softball game and suffering heat exhaustion. In this case, it is a company function, but it is neither work-related nor likely to be covered. All California based companies are required to provide worker’s comp insurance coverage for their staff. If you are working and there are no circumstances beyond doing your job, you can expect that you are covered by the worker’s compensation insurance program in California.

Medical care providers often bill the worker’s compensation program directly for care that is provided to an employee who has been injured at work. You will want to make sure your worker’s compensation claim is opened and is approved so that the hospital and the doctors office can bill. This means you don’t need to pay for your medical care and then have to submit claims and bills for reimbursement of those often expensive bills. Please get in touch with our staff at Normandie Law Firm to learn more about the complete list of benefits that is offered by worker’s compensation and what the best way you can use them is when getting your bills paid and any lost income reimbursed.

Some Key Benefits Provided By The Worker’s Compensation Program
Each employee who is covered by worker’s compensation insurance is eligible for the benefits listed below. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An amount of 1 million dollars per incident that covers all medical care costs for the hospital and doctor’s bills, prescription medications and over the counter drugs, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and rental or purchase costs of devices like crutches, a cane, or a wheelchair
• If you are seriously injured and are expected to have some type of disability as a result of the accident, the program provides temporary long-term disability payments to you
• If you cannot return to work until fully recovering from your incident related injuries, you qualify for up to 66% of your regular weekly income from the program
• If the results of your injury will not allow you to return to work doing the job you were hired to do, you qualify for vocational training offered by the program, allowing you to have a new career and role after you get cleared by your doctor to return to work

Filing A Personal Injury Lawsuit Against My Employer For Being Hurt At Work
Under most regular situations, you are not allowed to sue your employer when you file a worker’s compensation claim. The company’s liability for contributing to or causing the incident that led to your injuries is something that can be discussed with your Normandie Law Firm heatstroke worker’s compensation lawyer. The answers from that discussion might allow for a lawsuit if your company has committed gross negligence.

The legal definition of gross negligence is behavior that shows willful misconduct or a reckless disregard for the safety of others. An example of this conduct and definition is if there was a decision made by a representative of the employer that resulted in a heat related injury suffered by an employee. The decision is proven to have been one made with no regard for the risk to employees and only costs to the company.

If you think what happened is similar to this example and it contributed to or created the environment in which your heat stroke happened, pass this information along to your heat stroke worker’s compensation lawyer as soon as you discover it. A personal injury lawsuit can be filed in addition to a worker’s compensation claim if gross negligence can be shown and proven in court.

Normandie Law Firm And Upfront Costs
When you hire a heatstroke worker’s compensation injury lawyer for advice or representation, Normandie Law Firm will never ask you for any money up front to cover legal fees. Normandie Law Firm will bill you after your case has been resolved. If we do not win your claim or your lawsuit, you will not be billed. Please do not wait to reach out to the staff at Normandie Law Firm today. We want to help you with your worker’s compensation claim and make sure you get back to work.

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