Have you been injured on-the-job and wonder what resources are available to you? In California, there may be many options and steps that you can take to make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve. It is important to understand the laws regarding workers’ compensation, as they can be extremely complex and when it comes down to it, you will rely on the coverage for bills and other means of life when you are unable to work.
Workers’ compensation can help you recover, pay your bills, and get back to work when necessary and able. However, you may need guidance along the way, which is why it is a good idea to speak to an attorney that understands the complex laws regarding the system.
Besides your attorney, there are also some other useful resources you may need. There are industries with specific laws to provide for employee injuries. These resources can help you learn about the claims process and get the benefits you are in need of:
- Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs: This office, owned by the Department of Labor, administers four major disability compensation programs. Under these programs, several things are provided like replacement benefits, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and more.
- Division of Federal Employees’ Compensation: This department handles workers’ compensation coverage for 3 million federal and postal workers around the world.
- Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation: They handle workers’ compensation and medical benefits for employees of the Department of Energy. This includes its agencies, contractors, subcontractors, and more.
- Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation: This organization works to ensure that workers’ compensation benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act are paid promptly and properly.
- National Council of Compensation Insurance: The NCCI just so happens to be one of the nation’s most comprehensive sources of important information dealing with workers’ compensation insurance. This includes statistics and industry trends.
Along with that, there are many different things that you may be eligible for. For instance, you may want to know about the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Workers’ Compensation Tax Status, which shows that workers’ comp is usually always exempt from taxation by the IRS with a small benefit reduction exception.
You may also want to know about Social Security Disability and how you can claim it, if you feel like your disability will prevent you from working and will last longer than a year. You may also be eligible for unemployment insurance, which is for when your former employer has no work for you and you haven’t been able to find work that you are able to do.
In California, you have state-specific resources as well. You may have something known as a local I&A office, which is an information and assistance unit that will give you resources and free services. They may not be there to act on behalf of you like an attorney would, but they will still show you how to act on your own. A local DWC office can also give you a full explanation of workers’ compensation benefits, your rights, and your responsibilities. You can speak to any of these people privately (SoC). Consult an attorney that you can trust at RAWA Law Group.
Works Cited:
SoC. State of California: Department of Industrial Relations, 2015. Web. Accessed Dec 22, 2015. https://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/wcfaqiw.htmlFi