West Covina Workers' Compensation Lawyer

Why Hire a West Covina Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Insurance companies handle thousands of claims, and their goal is to close yours for as little as possible. An adjuster may sound friendly on the phone while asking questions meant to limit what you get. A West Covina workers’ compensation lawyer evens the odds and keeps your case on track.

When you work with us, we:

• Get your claim filed correctly and on time
• Fight back when the insurer delays or denies your claim
• Push for the treatment your doctor recommends
• Track your temporary disability checks so they’re paid correctly
• Prepare you for QME exams, which shape your disability rating
• Take your case to a judge or file an appeal when needed
• Negotiate a fair settlement, and explain your options before you sign

You get to focus on healing while we deal with the insurance company.

Common Work Injuries in West Covina

California workers’ comp covers injuries from a single accident and injuries that build up over time. Our workers’ comp attorneys help West Covina workers with all kinds of job injuries, including:

• Back injuries from lifting boxes, patients or heavy equipment (learn more about back injury claims)
• Shoulder, knee and wrist injuries, including torn rotator cuffs and ligaments
• Repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel from scanning, typing or assembly work
• Forklift and loading dock accidents in warehouses and distribution centers
• Slip, trip and fall injuries on wet floors, ramps and ladders
• Driving accidents on the 10, the 60 or the 605 while on the job (see work accident claims)
• Head injuries and concussions
• Burns from kitchens, chemicals and hot equipment
• Occupational illnesses from chemical, dust or heat exposure

You don’t have to prove anyone was at fault. California workers’ comp pays benefits even when the injury was partly your own mistake.

San Gabriel Valley Workers We Help

West Covina sits in the middle of one of Southern California’s busiest work areas. Nearby warehouses, hospitals, shopping centers and factories employ thousands of people, and each job has its own risks. We represent:

• Warehouse and logistics workers in the City of Industry, Baldwin Park and El Monte, including forklift accident victims
• Healthcare workers, including nurses, CNAs, caregivers and hospital staff
• Retail workers at Plaza West Covina and stores across the valley
• Restaurant and food service workers hurt by burns, cuts and falls
• Manufacturing and industrial workers injured by machines or heavy lifting
• Construction workers and tradespeople
• Delivery drivers and other workers who drive for their jobs
• Police officers and firefighters, who may qualify for special presumptions for certain injuries and illnesses
• School employees and city, county and other government workers

Full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal workers can all qualify. Your immigration status doesn’t affect your right to workers’ comp in California.

The California Workers’ Comp Claim Process

Every step in a workers’ comp case has a deadline. Here’s what usually happens:

1. Tell your employer. Report the injury in writing right away, and no later than 30 days after it happens.
2. Fill out the DWC-1. Your employer must give you this claim form within one working day after learning about your injury.
3. Start treatment. While your claim is under review, the insurer must cover up to $10,000 in medical care.
4. Get a decision. The insurer has 90 days to accept or deny the claim. If it misses that deadline, your injury is generally presumed to be covered. Learn when your first check is due.
5. Work out disputes. Disagreements about your injury or disability rating may go to a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) or a judge at the WCAB.
6. Close the case. Once your condition stabilizes, most cases end in a settlement or an award from a judge.

Calling a workers’ comp attorney early can stop small mistakes from turning into denied benefits.

Workers’ Comp Benefits for Injured Workers

California law gives injured workers several types of benefits. What you qualify for depends on your injury and how long it keeps you from working.

• Medical care: Doctor visits, surgery, therapy, prescriptions and medical equipment, at no cost to you.
• Temporary disability: About two-thirds of your average weekly pay while you recover, up to a weekly limit set by the state.
• Permanent disability: Payments if your injury causes lasting limits, based on your disability rating, age, job and wages.
• Supplemental job displacement: A $6,000 retraining voucher if your employer can’t bring you back, plus a possible $5,000 return-to-work payment.
• Death benefits: Payments to the dependents of a worker who dies from a job injury, plus up to $10,000 for burial.

Insurers don’t always mention every benefit you’re owed. We make sure nothing is left on the table.

How Much a West Covina Workers’ Comp Lawyer Costs

Many injured workers in West Covina put off calling a lawyer because they’re worried about the cost, especially when they’re already missing paychecks. The good news is that hiring a workers’ comp attorney doesn’t require any money out of your pocket. There’s no retainer, no hourly bill and no charge for your first case review.

In California, workers’ comp attorney fees are a percentage of your final award or settlement, and the amount is set by law, not by a contract you negotiate. A workers’ comp judge, usually at the Pomona WCAB for San Gabriel Valley cases, reviews and approves the fee before anyone gets paid. Judges often approve fees in the 12% to 15% range, depending on how complex the case is. If you don’t recover anything, you don’t owe an attorney fee.

Here’s what the fee doesn’t touch:

• Your medical care. Doctor visits, surgery, physical therapy and prescriptions are paid by the insurer and never go toward the fee.
• Your ongoing temporary disability checks. The checks you get while you’re off work keep coming as usual.
• Medical-legal costs. QME exams, medical reports and most other costs of proving your case are generally paid by the insurance company, not by you.

The fee usually comes out of your permanent disability award or settlement at the end of the case. That way, a warehouse worker in the City of Industry or a nurse in West Covina can get the same legal help as anyone else, without paying a dime upfront.

Areas We Serve Near West Covina

We help injured workers throughout the San Gabriel Valley and Pomona Valley, including:

• Covina, West Puente Valley and La Puente
• Baldwin Park, El Monte and the City of Industry
• Walnut, Diamond Bar and Pomona
• Glendora, Azusa and San Dimas

Not sure if we can take your case? Call and ask. It costs nothing to find out.

Talk to a Workers’ Comp Lawyer for West Covina Workers

Workers’ comp deadlines move fast, and early mistakes are hard to undo. Call Rodich Law at (818) 888-3000 or send us a message for a free case review. We’ll walk through what happened, explain your options and let you know how we can help.