Los Angeles Workers' Comp Lawyer | Fighting For Injured Workers
Our dedicated team of attorneys helps clients obtain the best medical treatment and the maximum settlement possible
The Workers' Compensation Process and Benefits
This Website Provides Info from a Lawyer About the Workers Compensation Process
The Workers Compensation Process can be broken down into the following parts: (1) Getting Medical Treatment, (2) Getting Wages Paid While Recovering From Injury, (3) Seeing an Independent Doctor Called a Qualified Medical Evaluator and (4) Settlement
Finding a Doctor
Insurance companies make it difficult for injured workers to get benefits by controlling medical treatment. If you are injured at work, you should change doctors.
Insurance companies will send injured workers to clinics like Concentra where doctors tell them they are okay to work no matter what.
An injured worker does not have to stay with the company doctor, but the insurance makes it very difficult to switch doctors. Read more about changing doctors.
Treatment and Money
The doctor is really important because the law says that only a doctor can decide if an injured worker should get treatment and money. To get any form of treatment a doctor must ask for permission.
It is common for insurance companies to ignore or deny a doctor's Request for Authorization to provide patients with treatment, medication or diagnostic studies.
If this happens to you then you need to be able to file in Court to get a judge to Order the insurance company to provide the treatment.
The utilization review process is the insurance company's response to the Request for Authorization and is how treatment gets denied. You can read the law about that process and other important laws here.
Qualified Medical Evaluation
This evaluation is performed by a neutral doctor known as the Qualified Medical Evaluator. There is a process involved for selecting a doctor and for providing documents to the QME. This doctor will provide reports that will be used to determine the outcome of the case. You can read more about the QME process here.
Settlement
There are two kinds of settlements in work comp. The first is a type of settlement where a worker gets paid for the damage done to the body as a form of compensation only, but the worker keeps the right to return to the doctors in the future if needed. This is called a Stipulation with Request for Award.
The other settlement is a Compromise and Release where the right to future care is bought out. Because the future care is bought out this type of settlement provides more money to the injured worker.
In order to get a settlement a worker will need the proper evidence, which is provided by medical reports. This is where the insurance will take advantage of someone without a lawyer by controlling the evidence/medical reports that are provided. A lawyer will get you to the proper doctors who will provide the reports needed to get compensation. You can read more about settlements here.
We win millions of dollars for our clients every year. We know the laws and the procedures and get the best results possible. We have a reputation for success because we always win through knowledge, experience and hard work.
Feel free to call and ask questions about your situation. The author of this page, Aaron Steinberg, Esq., has been licensed (license # 273934) by the State of California to practice workers compensation law and has 15 years of experience. He will be happy to discuss your situation, just call (310) 961-0588 for a free consultation.
What Are Workers Compensation Benefits?
- money for rent
- paid time off work
- orthopedic dcotrs
- internal physicians
- physical therapy
- permanent disability
- temporary disability
- money for gas
- x-rays
- MRI
- acupuncture
- medication
- massage
- topical cream
- podiatrist
- neurologist
- CT scan
- mileage
- transportation
- home health care
- reimbursements
- schooling/retraining
- computer
- permanent disability
- compromise and release
- stipulation with request for award
MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT FORM
If you were injured at work, you are entitled to receive 72 cents for every mile you travel to medical appointments. To request your money click the following link:
https://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/forms-Mileage.html
If you have any questions about benefits in the workers compensation system, or if you are owed benefits, we can help you obtain them.
Insurance company denied your claim?
Insurance companies deny claims to prevent paying for your doctor bills and paying your wage while you are on disability. We will beat the denial and get the treatment you need. We will also get you money to replace your wages and compensate for your injuries.
Employer won't send you for the treatment you need?
What if the employer won't even provide a doctor? Sometimes an injured worker cannot even get into the workers compensation process if the employer doesn't start a claim for them. You have the right to see a doctor within 24 hours of telling your employer, so if the employer isn't providing treatment as required by law you will need to take action on your own and that is very difficult in the work comp system. Workers Comp Lawyer - A Workers Comp Lawyer will find the best care possible from doctors that won't charge injured workers for treatment.
What is Work Comp?
What is Work Comp?
Workers Compensation is a process of insurance for injured workers. Your employer should have insurance, and the insurance company is required to provide workers compensation (work comp) for injured workers. This includes medical treatment, and money, when an employee is injured at work. You should not pay a deductible every time you see a doctor, nor should you be required to pay for prescription medication for an injury sustained while you were working.
Your employer's work comp insurance covers all your costs.
An injured worker will receive the necessary therapy to recover and to return to work. Money is paid to an injured worker as Temporary Disability Benefits during the time the worker is unable to work. This is meant to replace lost wages during recovery.
Even after returning to work, there is more money for the injured worker as Permanent Disability benefits. This is what many people refer to as a workers compensation settlement. The calculation of Permanent Disability, which converts to money in work comp, is complicated.
Is a Workers' Compensation Attorney Necessary?
Perhaps you have suffered an injury at work and the insurance company has been paying you money in the form of Temporary Disability Benefits and set you up with a doctor. It may seem that you are being treated fairly but it is in the insurance companies interest to cut benefits where they can.
You may be under paid or have your medical treatment cut or denied because Workers' Compensation Insurance companies make money by cutting back on the medical treatment and cash paid to an injured worker. A common insurance tactic is to treat an injury and send an employee back to work without a lump sum payment for the injury sustained. An attorney will ensure they pay you what you are owed.
All On-The-Job Accidents and Injuries are covered.
Even if you are injured due to your own fault --- you are still covered! We will still get you paid the most money even if it was your own accident. It doesn't matter if you were negligent while working. You still have the right to benefits. Many people have injuries from working repetitive jobs. You have the right to work comp benefits for work injuries even if you cannot point to a specific event that caused the injury.
What Does a Work Comp Lawyer Cost?
Workers Compensation Lawyers get paid from the final settlement. When the case settles the attorney gets 15% of a total settlement. It is important to have a Workers Compensation Lawyer to maximize your award and the difference between having a knowledgeable, experienced lawyer makes up for the small percentage taken. We increase settlements by way more than we take as a fee.
Feel free to ask how we can help you. Our office number is (310) 961-0588.
Our office is located in Torrance and conveniently located to Los Angeles, Carson, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Gardena, Lomita, South Park, Lynwood, Compton, Buena Park, Long Beach, Wilmington, San Pedro, Downey, and Paramount. We can discuss your injury and build a plan together.
If you received a Delay Letter or a Denial Letter from the work comp insurance company it is important to seek advice. See our blog below about this insurance delay tactic.
Call for a free consultation at (310) 961-0588. Aaron Steinberg, or his partner, Josh Harrer, will be available to speak with you. Meet our team