Redding Workers’ Compensation Law Blog

Many workers are at risk of being burned, but not all burns are the same. Burns are classified according to their severity, which is known as the degree, but they’re also classified according to the cause of the burn. The cause is important because not all burns can be treated the same way. The circumstances of a person’s job determine what types of burn hazards they might be subjected to. Trying to keep hazards to a minimum can reduce the likelihood that a person will suffer from one of these types of burns: Radiation burn: One common cause of this is the sun. Individuals who work outside are at risk of this type of burn, but anyone who’s around radiation or...

Workers might not realize there is a class of chemicals that can cause serious, irreparable damage to the hearing and inner ear function. Ototoxicants are chemicals that can cause hearing loss and balance issues. They can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed directly through the skin. OSHA has issued an alert and continues to update it. They have grouped the otoxicants into five general categories: Pharmaceuticals, including analgesics and antibiotics Solvents, including carbon disulfide, styrene and trichloroethylene Asphyxiants, including tobacco smoke and carbon monoxide Nitriles, including acrylonitrile Metals and compounds, including mercury compounds, germanium dioxide and lead The administration has also identified numerous industries with higher exposure risk. These industries can include agriculture, construction, mining and utilities. Speech Discrimination Dysfunction Hearing loss...

Whether it’s because someone is off work due to illness or because of a downturn in the economy, having fewer people on the job to help with the work that needs to be done can make it more likely for you and others to be at risk of injuring yourselves. Understaffing is a significant problem in any industry, because not having enough people to work means that others may try to compensate and perform jobs without the support that they need. Inadequate staffing can be a major liability for employers when it takes place over a long course of time. For example, the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics reported that nurses were more likely to have higher stress...

Most employees probably don’t anticipate personal harm when they clock into their job each day. Yet, workplace injuries affect every industry nationwide. Some positions carry more inherent risk than others, yet there is always the chance that you could get injured and need to rely on workers’ compensation while you recover. However, with mandated shutdowns related to the pandemic, how are you supposed to handle a claim? 5 Things You Should Know About Filing For Workers’ Compensation During The Pandemic Along with countless other organizations, the California Department of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) made service changes in response to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, you may have been required to continue your job-related duties as usual. Considering potential confusion about how the DWC is currently...

Nurses in California and throughout the U.S. are exposed to hazards every day, so preventing injuries and illness should be uppermost in their mind. American Mobile Healthcare offers 10 tips to help in the prevention. First, nurses should stay healthy through daily exercise and a nutritious diet. The second tip is to obtain sufficient sleep. These two steps ensure a strong immune system and an alert mind. Next, nurses should always take care to wash their hands when on the job. To prevent the transmission of patients’ bodily fluids, they must wear the appropriate protective gear like masks and gowns. Staying up-to-date on immunizations is essential. Nurses can encounter hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and more. The sixth tip is to be...

Workers’ compensation insurance is required in California. This helps cover medical expenses, lost wages and so on after an employee has suffered a work-related injury or developed a work-related illness. Of course, determining whether something is work-related can be difficult in some cases. Injuries that occur at the workplace count in addition to injuries incurred in other locations if employees were still engaged in some job-related activity, such as driving a company-owned vehicle and running a job-related errand. Even attending a company party or social event hosted by the employer counts as relating to one’s employment. Injuries suffered during a lunch break can count if the setting was on employer-owned grounds or connected in some other way to employment. For example, the...

When many people hear about workers compensation claims, they think about falls, broken bones, and other workplace injuries. However, there is a new threat to employee health that is being recognized. OSHA is now reporting that Ototoxicants, chemicals that cause hearing loss and balance problems when absorbed, inhaled or ingested, may be endangering the quality of life of employees across the nation. OSHA has grouped Ototoxicants into five separate categories: pharmaceuticals, asphyxiants, solvents, metals and compounds, and nitriles. In addition to the damage to an employee’s quality of life, this also poses a safety risk as these issues can cause workers to not be able to properly distinguish the voice of a coworker who may be warning them of impending danger....

Workers in California, especially those in the construction industry, should know how important it is for their employers to keep the job site free of foreseeable hazards. Below are five all too common mistakes that their employers might make that could lead to a workplace injury. The first is giving employees the wrong tools for a job. Even when two tools are similar, employees should understand that certain tools are made for certain applications. The second mistake is failing to give employees the right personal protective equipment. Employers should start by performing a PPE assessment and then purchase the right equipment. Employees should be told not to remove PPE, even when the weather makes it uncomfortable. Many worksites require ladders and scaffolding....

Those living and working in California may want to know more about the QME as it relates to compensation for injured workers and the Division of Workers’ Compensation Medical Unit. It is important to understand the QME when it comes to claims and navigation through the system. According to the State of California Department of Industrial Relations, a claims administrator helps workers with advice about their rights and the steps needed to get medical care. A worker may also learn of other benefits they are entitled to under workers’ compensation laws in California. A QME stands for qualified medical evaluator; this is a physician who does the evaluation and advises what benefits are available. The QME is trained in the workers’...

If you suffer a severe injury on the job, you may know you can pursue and obtain workers’ compensation benefits. However, the process of recovering the benefits you deserve is often complex. There are several mistakes to avoid that could put your claim at risk, such as missing deadlines or not reporting your injury in the first place. Another risk that injured workers might overlook is their social media account. Insurance Companies Will Look At Your Social Media Nowadays, Californians of all ages have at least one social media account in their name. You might use your account to keep in touch with faraway friends and family, or even keep up to date with the news. You might already know...