Am I Limited to Worker's Compensation If I'm Hurt on The Job?

If you are injured on the job, there are many different situations you must manage all at once. Not only are you hurt, but you are also likely unable to work as you are used to, and others in your family still rely upon you. Often your loved ones rely upon you in ways beyond just your paycheck, and it's hard to be there for them when you are in pain. It's a natural progression to wonder what other options are available to you besides California workers compensation to help you through your worksite injury.

Each work-related accident is different, so there is no way for anyone to give a blanket answer that covers all injured parties equally. If you are injured at work, however, you may be eligible for certain state and federal benefits based upon your circumstance. Some of these include State Disability Insurance (SDI) at the state level, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) at the federal level, and even unemployment insurance, also at the federal level, if you lose your job because of your injuries. Each of these types of benefits has its own application process, and if you need help navigating through that process, attorneys who have experience with this process are a terrific assistance.

If you belong to a union, or your employer offers additional benefits, these are available to you above and beyond California workers compensation benefits. Some of these benefits include health insurance options, long-term disability plans and even paid sick leave. If these benefits are available to you, some may become active as soon as you are injured, while others may have a waiting period associated with them.

If your injury happened at work, but was not due to the negligence of your employer, someone else might be responsible. In that case, they would need to pay additional damages toward your care. Negligence on the other party's part might mean that a case would need to go to court. An experienced attorney could look at the details of the case for you and determine the best course of action depending on your individual situation. A lawyer who has handled a wide range of workers compensation cases can help you determine how best to handle your specific case. Each case is different, and there may be laws that apply to your case that you need to know. California workers compensation is a complicated set of laws, and it's important to have a helping hand when you need something clarified.