Redding Workers’ Compensation Law Blog

Look around yourself at work. How many of your co-workers seem to be bleary-eyed and half-asleep on the job? If you find some who fit that description, you’re far from alone. The Oregon Healthy Workforce Center hired Colorado State University (CSU) researchers to review incident reports and interview construction workers between two different work sites in 2019. The CSU graduate students’ research revealed how much of an impact sleep has on worker safety. What The Researchers Found About Fatigue And Workplace Safety CSU’s researchers reviewed injury records and comparing those to the construction workers’ self-reported sleep data. This research called attention to how many construction workers suffer from insomnia or struggle with poor-quality sleep. These issues often cause cognitive impairments which led...

When you have a workplace injury, the process of obtaining workers’ compensation benefits should be rather simple. All bets are off, however, when you have previous injuries (on or off the job) or pre-existing health problems that are even remotely related to your current injury. Why Do Pre-existing Conditions And Old Injuries Matter To A Workers’ Comp Claim? If your work activity caused an aggravation of an old injury, a brand-new injury in the same location as an old injury or aggravated a pre-existing condition, you are still entitled to coverage under workers’ compensation. The trick, however, is proving that your injury is actually work-related. If you’re left with a permanent impairment, you can bet that your employer’s insurance company...

State laws require that employers carry workers’ compensation coverage. There are also state and federal laws that carefully regulate the insurance industry to help ensure that people with appropriate and covered claims don’t wind up denied necessary benefits. Unfortunately, there are still many people who need workers’ compensation but wind up receiving a denial notice when they file a claim. Although California does allow workers denied benefits to appeal, that process can be stressful. Some people who make mistakes in their initial application or reporting process may find that they have effectively lost the right to claim benefits or will need to do much more work to receive their benefits. Understanding the timeline for your obligations as an injured worker...

Workplace injuries are often tied to devices, machines, tools and vehicles. Drivers face high risks due to car accidents, for instance, while construction workers have elevated risks from power tools, blades, ladders, heights and much more. But it’s not always what you work with that puts you in danger. Sometimes, it’s the environment where you work that creates the biggest hazard. The weather itself can cause serious workplace injuries. The Weather Poses Workplace Risks In All Seasons There are risks in all seasons and all areas of the state. While California is generally a very warm state, you do have cold temperatures, especially in the north and the mountains. Extremely cold temperatures have led to numerous deaths and injuries over the years....

A summary rating is a document provided to you by the Disability Evaluation Unit in California. This document takes the qualified medical evaluator’s examination and report and converts it to a permanent disability rating for workers’ comp. The percentage score given to you determines how much compensation you will receive. Ratings from 1% to 100% are possible, with a score below 100 meaning that you have a permanent partial disability. Ratings of 100% extremely rare. How Is The Summary Rating Determined? According to the Department of Industrial Relations, the summary rating is determined by considering: The date of the injury Your medical condition How old you were when you were injured How much of this disability is a result of your job...

In the old days, when someone told you about their joint pain, it was likely to be your grandmother talking about her arthritis. Nowadays, it is probably someone who spends their days sitting at a computer, regardless of age. Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) have become a massive problem affecting almost two million workers a year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). One study found that the affect 60% of all those who work at a computer. Your Body Is Not Designed For Typing At A Keyboard All Day Wrist problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome are among the most common RSIs because so many of us spend our days typing at a keyboard. It is not something...

Most workers who need workers’ compensation benefits in California will find that the process is relatively straightforward if they have the right help. However, for some workers applying for workers’ compensation benefits after an injury on the job or a diagnosis with a work-acquired illness, getting benefits can prove to be harder than they initially expected. Your employer could try to undermine your version of events that makes them, and their workers’ compensation insurer, responsible for your care. Perhaps no one denies that the medical issue is because of your work, but there is a disagreement about what kind of treatment you need. For those dealing with a denied claim or a dispute about the necessity of certain treatments, a qualified...

Restaurant work can be stable, decent-paying employment for those with a strong work ethic, even if they have no college education or professional job training. Someone can work their way up in a kitchen and eventually command decent wages by starting as a prep cook right out of high school. However, the dark side of all of that opportunity is the risk that line cooks and other culinary professionals assume on the job. The kitchen is one of the most dangerous places in the house, and it is also one of the most dangerous professional spaces. There Are Traumatic Injury Risks Everywhere In The Kitchen Culinary professionals often spend much of their day bent over open flame on a stove,...

As you may know, workplace injuries often occur suddenly as a result of an unexpected accident. Since sudden injuries link to a specific accident or event, filing for workers’ compensation is usually a simple process. However, workplace injuries and illnesses can also occur over time, making it hard for injured employees in Northern California to acquire benefits. The first thing you should know is that you have the right to receive workers’ compensation for cumulative injuries or continuous trauma. Examples Of Injuries That Develop Gradually Carpal tunnel syndrome in jobs requiring repetitive motion Tendonitis and rotator cuff trauma Certain injuries to the back, neck or shoulders Joint injuries (elbows, knees, etc.) from repetitive motion jobs Illnesses That May Occur Over Time Sick...

Have you ever lain awake at night, unable to sleep because of a sore back? If so, you are not alone. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, over 600,000 workers suffer back injuries in the workplace. You do not need to work in an industry involving heavy lifting such as construction or landscaping for it to happen to you. There are so many different ways to injure your back. You can do so via a one-off event, or it can occur due to a series of events or movements over time. The sad thing is, many back injuries should never have happened. Here’s what can prevent them: Proper training: Employers have a responsibility to provide adequate training. If people understand the...