Lawyer For Subcontractor Injuries

The State of California reported that in the first quarter of 2024, there were approximately 95,000 construction businesses in operation. The California Contractors State License Board reported 285,000 licenses issued in various classifications to businesses and sole proprietors. These numbers combined make California the busiest state in terms of the number of construction businesses in all of the United States of America. When you think of the nature of construction projects and the subcontractor business being labor intensive, and the use of equipment of every size for the specific services they are utilized for, you can understand why there is an opportunity for injuries to employees that range from strains and sprains to having thousands of pounds of material potentially crush a body part. If you need a lawyer for subcontractor injuries, we want you to know that the Normandie Law Firm is highly experienced when it comes to worker’s compensation in the State of California.

You are probably working daily in a job that has you up on your feet, on a ladder, or operating a piece of construction equipment on a job site. You might be digging, lifting, dragging, or moving very heavy things, and with all that going on, the opportunity for a workplace injury to happen is always present. If you get hurt while at work, we want you to know that our staff at the Normandie Law Firm is ready to help you with your questions about a worker’s compensation claim. Our legal team is available to take your call regardless of what time of day it is when you have time to call. Our goal is to give you the support you need to have if you are hurt while working. When you contact us at Normandie Law Firm, we will get you the answers to all of your questions. If that initial call doesn’t provide the answers to the questions you have, our staff will schedule a free consultation with a lawyer for subcontractor injuries as soon as you can take the time to meet with us.

During that first consultation, we will be asking you to share with us the facts about your injury and the events that took place prior to the accident. We also want to know all about the injury details and the doctor’s diagnosis of future care. We also want to understand as much of the background of the hazard you encountered. One of our critical goals in that meeting is understanding who might be responsible for the accident and where it occurred.

We will take all of that information and focus on explaining to you the worker’s compensation program benefits in the State of California and how they will help you. Worker’s comp is going to address for you the medical bills and some of your lost income covered if you have missed work due to your injury. One crucial detail about worker’s compensation we will explain to you during that 1st meeting is that you have a short amount of time to get a claim opened with worker’s compensation.

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How Much Time Do I Have To File A Worker’s Compensation Claim?
The time limit to file a claim with the worker’s compensation insurance program is 30 days in California. The time period starts on the date of the accident. If you need help opening the claim or your employer attempts to stop you from using the worker’s comp system and its benefits, please call the Normandie Law Firm to get us involved before the 30-day deadline passes. If you wait more than 30 days, your claim is going to be denied. There are some exceptions to that 30 day time limit. The most common of those exceptions is for injuries that come from cumulative trauma.

Cumulative Trauma Injuries And The Time Limit
Cumulative trauma is a term used to describe the cause of injuries suffered because of damage experienced over a longer period of time. They are normally highly repetitive actions, like typing or bending over and straining. If you are diagnosed with an injury that cites cumulative trauma, then you are still able to file a claim with worker’s compensation. The time limit to file a claim is one year, and it starts on the date of the first day of work you missed due to the injury or pain it is causing you. If you are experiencing this, please make certain to advise your lawyer of subcontractor injuries in your first meeting.

Common Injuries And Workplace Hazards On Construction Locations
Some jobs have a few common injuries that are largely affected by the role and the environment you work in each day. What is different about the construction business is that any subcontractor may be providing services specific to the project, bringing the risks up across the board. Single family home construction projects all delivery services like heating and cooling, plumbing, electricity, interior and exterior construction using a wide variety of material. Even with all those different jobs being done in a short period of time on a crowded site, there are some injuries that they also have in common. The injuries and hazards that the Normandie Law Firm staff regularly see across the client base start with slip or trip and falls resulting in body injuries and go as far as equipment accidents, falling debris and even electrical shocks. Some of the others are:

• Broken or fractured bones, including skull fractures, from tripping or falling into open trenches or small holes, and heavy debris injuries caused by falling roofing material
• Sprains that damage the connective tissue of joints or full dislocations when moving material across a job site or avoiding obstacles over uneven ground
• Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries are due to the amount of lifting that goes on
• Exposure to high volume noise at a damaging level caused by tools, a generator, and heavy equipment
• The hazards you might find, and they may or may not be related to your job and role, are:
• Malfunctioning equipment in common use, leading to shocks or burns from exhaust
• Environmental issues like fire or flooding

If you are injured while working as a subcontractor, Normandie Law Firm advises that you get a full medical exam when you are treated for your injuries. Any additional injuries must be diagnosed and treated immediately. It is not uncommon for a person who is injured to experience some form of shock. It can be a challenge if you try to link injuries that are not diagnosed immediately to your accident.

Your Injuries And Being Covered Under Worker’s Compensation
Generally speaking, any injury that an employee receives while at work and doing their job will be covered by the worker’s compensation program. There are some exceptions that focus on the actions of the employee, and depending on the circumstances, the injuries may not be covered. The most crucial part is that the injury must be work-related. If the employee is attempting suicide, or is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the worker’s compensation program will likely not cover the claim. Each company is required by law to purchase the worker’s comp insurance program and to pay the costs in order to provide the coverage for all of tits employees. You must be an employee, not a contractor or subcontractor, to receive the coverage. The employer also, under penalty of law, is not allowed to interfere with an injured employee contacting the program for support or in filing of a worker’s compensation claim for any injury that happens at work.

What Are The Benefits Offered By The Worker’s Compensation Program In California?
Every employee who is covered by worker’s compensation insurance will receive injury benefits that include, but are not limited to:

• A total of 1 million dollars per incident for medical care costs covering both hospital and doctor’s bills, the cost of medical devices like a cane, crutches, a wheelchair, or a brace, prescription medications, any indicated therapy and rehabilitation, all on a per incident basis
• Any employee who cannot return to work until they have healed from all injuries may get up to 66% of their regular weekly income from the program
• If an employee suffers from severe harm and experiences long-term limitations or disability due to a workplace injury, the program offers long-term disability payments

Personal Injury Lawsuits And Worker’s Compensation
If you file a claim for injuries received at work, you cannot sue your employer for being injured at work. As mentioned earlier, the Worker’s compensation program is insurance and is referred to as an exclusive remedy for workplace injuries. What it means is that an employee who is hurt at work and files a claim with worker’s compensation is not going to be permitted to file a personal injury lawsuit against their employer for the same injuries.

You can sue a third party or an employer if they were involved in the creation of the circumstances surrounding the accident. The employer or property owner’s liability regarding the cause or hazard is what exposes them to liability. What this requires is the ability to prove that the 3rd party is guilty of gross negligence.

The State of California defines gross negligence as willful misconduct or a reckless disregard for the safety of others. Some very basic examples of this include:

• Equipment that is dangerous to use in its present condition, which the company is aware of
• The creation of a known hazard on property that is an obvious danger, like an open, unmarked hole
• Incomplete or improper training of an employee on the use of equipment

If gross negligence is suspected and can be proven, you can file and win a personal injury lawsuit against the entity responsible, and the court will award damages. You are not permitted to sue for damages received, like your medical bills or lost wages that you have already received from worker’s compensation, only for things you have not been compensated for. The most visible thing is the difference between your normal income and that which worker’s compensation covered. If you have gotten injured and have concerns and questions about lawsuits and liability, Normandie Law Firm will help you find the answers and can represent you in a personal injury case.

Normandie Law Firm And Client Upfront Expenses
When you contact the Normandie Law Firm and speak with a lawyer regarding subcontractor injuries, you will not be required to make any upfront payments for our services. Please get in touch with the Normandie Law Firm with any questions you have as you work through the worker’s compensation process.

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