California consistently ranks among the states with the highest number of workplace injuries and fatalities each year. The sheer size and diversity of the Los Angeles economy mean that workers here face an enormous range of occupational hazards.
When a workplace accident occurs, the consequences can be devastating. Many victims and their families face serious injuries, mounting medical bills, lost income, and an uncertain future.
At Harpy Law, our Los Angeles workplace injury lawyers are dedicated to protecting the rights of injured workers and helping them recover every dollar they are entitled to. Call us or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation today.
Let Harpy Law Handle Your Workplace Injury Claim
- Our Los Angeles workplace injury lawyers have extensive experience handling all types of on-the-job injury claims. We understand California’s workers’ compensation system inside and out and know how to identify and pursue every available avenue of recovery for you.
- Our team of attorneys has the resources to conduct thorough investigations and build your strongest case. We are not afraid to take on large employers, insurance companies, or corporate defendants.
- We have a proven record of securing significant compensation for injured workers throughout the Los Angeles area, and we are committed to fighting for the maximum recovery available in your case.
- We give every client our personal attention. Our Los Angeles workplace injury attorneys will take the time to understand the specific facts and circumstances of your situation, clearly explain your options, and develop a strategy tailored to your needs.
Workers’ Compensation and Third-Party Claims in California
After a workplace injury in California, there are often two distinct legal avenues available, and understanding both is critical to maximizing your recovery.
California’s workers’ compensation system is a no-fault system that provides benefits to injured employees regardless of who caused the accident. These benefits cover medical treatment and a portion of lost wages. You do not need to prove your employer was negligent to receive workers’ compensation benefits — but in exchange, workers’ compensation is generally the exclusive remedy against your employer, meaning you cannot sue your employer directly in most circumstances.
However, if a third party other than your employer contributed to your accident, you may be entitled to file a separate personal injury lawsuit against that party. Third-party claims allow you to recover damages that workers’ compensation does not provide — including pain and suffering, full lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and other non-economic losses. Potentially liable third parties in a Los Angeles workplace injury case may include:
- Contractors or subcontractors on a job site
- Property owners
- Equipment or machinery manufacturers
- Drivers of other vehicles involved in a work-related accident
- Maintenance or repair companies
- Product distributors or suppliers
At Harpy Law, we carefully evaluate every workplace injury case to identify all potential third-party claims and pursue them aggressively alongside any workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to receive.
What Compensation is Available for Workplace Injury Victims?
The compensation available to an injured worker in California depends on the specific claims available and the facts of the case. Through workers’ compensation and any applicable third-party claims, you may be entitled to recover:
- All necessary medical treatment related to your injury
- Temporary disability benefits while you are unable to work
- Permanent disability benefits if your injury results in lasting impairment
- Supplemental job displacement benefits if you cannot return to your previous work
- Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death damages if a loved one was killed in a workplace accident
Many injured workers accept far less than they are truly entitled to because they navigate the system alone. Our work injury attorneys in Los Angeles will ensure that every available category of compensation is identified, documented, and pursued on your behalf.
Why Work With a Los Angeles Workplace Injury Lawyer?
Many injured workers assume that filing a workers’ compensation claim is all they need to do after a workplace injury. In reality, the situation is often far more complex, and the workers’ compensation system alone frequently fails to fully compensate injured workers for everything they have lost.
California’s workers’ compensation system provides injured workers with benefits covering medical treatment and a portion of lost wages. However, workers’ compensation does not compensate you for pain and suffering, full lost wages, or other non-economic damages.
For workers who suffer serious or permanent injuries, workers’ compensation benefits can be woefully inadequate.
In many workplace injury cases, a party other than your employer contributed to the accident. When that is the case, you may be entitled to pursue a separate personal injury claim in Los Angeles against that third party, in addition to your workers’ compensation claim.
Workers’ compensation insurers have financial incentives to minimize the benefits they pay. Claims are frequently disputed, undervalued, or denied. Injured workers are sometimes pressured to return to work before they have fully recovered, or steered toward medical providers whose assessments favor the insurer.
Having an experienced Los Angeles workplace injury attorney in your corner ensures that you are not taken advantage of during one of the most vulnerable periods of your life.
Contact Our Los Angeles Workplace Injury Attorneys Today
A serious workplace injury can turn your life upside down. At Harpy Law, we understand the physical, financial, and emotional toll that on-the-job injuries take on workers and their families, and we are committed to fighting for the full compensation you deserve.
Do not navigate the workers’ compensation system alone, and do not leave a potential third-party claim on the table. Call us or visit our contact page today to schedule your free consultation. Our Los Angeles workplace injury attorneys will listen to your story, evaluate all of your legal options under California law, and explain what we can do to help.