Spanish Speaking Worker’s Compensation Lawyer In Bakersfield

Being injured in any type of accident can be a very traumatic experience. If you are hurt at work but are unable to clearly communicate with anyone, it is easy to become concerned and afraid about what is going on. The cost of medical care and the financial concerns of missing work only add to the stress levels you might be experiencing. When you think you need legal representation to help you deal with worker’s compensation, but do not know where to find someone who can literally speak your language, we want you to know that the Kenmore Law Group offers legal services that are provided by Spanish speaking lawyers and staff members. The Kenmore Law Group believes that every person in the State of California deserves legal representation, regardless of what language they are fluent in. The team at the Kenmore Law Group will speak for victims who speak a language other than English. If you need a Spanish speaking worker’s compensation lawyer in Bakersfield, or any of the surrounding areas like Kern County, Delano, Ridgecrest, Wasco, Arvin, or McFarland, please call Kenmore Law Group. We want to share some details with you about filing a worker’s compensation claim.

No matter what your job is, it has something that is shared with every other job and company in the State of California. If you are injured while at work, you will have worker’s compensation insurance coverage. If you need questions answered or legal advice and representation, please do not hesitate to call Kenmore Law Group. We can connect you with a Spanish speaking worker’s compensation lawyer in Bakersfield, Kern County, Delano, Ridgecrest, Wasco, Arvin, or McFarland to help you. You can reach us day or night, and we will provide someone from the legal team who speaks Spanish and is ready to answer your questions. Our focus at the Kenmore Law Group is to give you access to legal information the minute you call us for it. We will also schedule you for a free initial consultation with the Kenmore Law Group legal team in order to review your case in person and with greater detail. This helps us get the information we need to be able to serve you better.

The details that are the focus of that first meeting are the information about your accident and how it happened. This should include everything that led up to the hazard, the specifics of your injury, including the severity and potential for disability, and any other details that you think we need to know about your accident. After that information has been gathered, we will explain how the worker’s compensation program can cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and more. The Spanish speaking team at Kenmore Law Group is going to review with you all of the benefits you have a right to claim. One of the critical details that we will discuss with you is the time limit you have to get a claim filed with worker’s compensation in the State of California.

The Time Limit To File A Worker’s Compensation Claim In California
For regular work related injuries, the time limit is 30 calendar days to file a claim with worker’s comp. The timer starts on the date of your accident. You have the right to open a worker’s compensation claim after an injury, even if you don’t work for the employer after the accident. If you were on payroll with the company during the time of the incident, you can move forward with a claim. The 30 day time limit still exists, but your ability and right to open a claim does not require any type of continued employment. The time limit is strictly enforced and has only a few exceptions to it. One of those exceptions is injuries caused by cumulative trauma.

Cumulative Trauma Injuries and Worker’s Compensation Time Limits
Cumulative trauma is a diagnosis used to describe the contributing cause of workplace injuries suffered from repetitive activities that take place as part of a daily role over a period of time. The cause may not actually be a trauma event, but is often more like using a keyboard or mouse. The injury happens because the activity is repeated, and then leads to the workplace injury because it causes some level of wear on the body. Carpal tunnel is an example of this kind of injury. Back strains are another example. The time limit to file a worker’s comp claim for a cumulative trauma injury is one year from the date of the first day of work you missed. It must be diagnosed by a medical professional to qualify.

The Common Injuries And Workplace Hazards
Many jobs come with their own hazards and injuries, based in large part on what the worker might be exposed to on a routine basis, as well as the nature of the job you do on a daily basis. Your job will typically influence the frequency rate of exposure to any particular type of hazard is, as well as the risks of what the injury and extent of damage is going to be. The Kenmore Law Group has decades of experience shared across the Spanish speaking worker’s compensation lawyers in Bakersfield, in handling clients with almost every type of injury and hazard that you can picture dealing with. The different types of injuries we have seen across all of our clients will usually start with slip or trip and falls and go to less common injuries like blunt force trauma to the head, vehicle and equipment accidents, and occasionally amputation from equipment failure. The most common injuries and hazards we see are:

• Sprains causing damage to the connective tissue of joints or complete joint dislocations due to accident avoidance, failing equipment, or floor hazards like cords, cables, material, or damaged surfaces
• Broken bones from falls or trips caused by wet and slippery floors with poor drainage
• Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries from automobile accidents when traveling between jobsite locations or going to pick up supplies at a local vendor to complete a job
• Head injuries that range from a severe concussion to skull fractures due to falling material in a warehouse, or a forklift hitting a rack of skids and boxes

Other common hazards that really have nothing to do with the job are present as well. The opportunity for random risks and hazards exists because they are common, no matter what the job is or where it is.  Some of these are:

• Burns or electrical shock from appliances in the office, such as coffee makers or a copier
• Cleaning liquids being used in an office or an offsite location, such as restroom cleaning agents
• Any environmental issues that are present in the workplace for a customer site or office, such as fire

If you suffer an injury and have language issues when you try and open a worker’s compensation claim, please make time to get in touch with the legal staff at Kenmore Law Group to get a Spanish speaking worker’s compensation lawyer involved immediately.

Are There Injuries That Will Not Covered By Worker’s Compensation In California?
The short answer is no, there are no specific injuries that are not covered by worker’s compensation if they occur at work while performing your job duties. There are some exceptions to that statement, but they have more to do with the circumstances and the employee’s conduct than the type of injury. One example of this is if an investigation shows that the injury was aided by an employee being under the influence of alcohol, the worker’s compensation program may not cover the incident and the injuries. Another example might be attending a company softball game and spraining an ankle. In this case it is a company function but it is not work related and may also not be covered. If you are working and there are no circumstances other than doing your job, you can expect that you are covered by the worker’s compensation insurance program in California.

Medical care providers will usually bill the worker’s compensation program directly for care related to workers comp claims. You will want to make sure your claim is opened and is approved so that the hospital and the doctor’s office can bill.

The Benefits Provided By The Worker’s Compensation Program In California
Any employee covered by worker’s compensation insurance is eligible to receive the benefits that are listed below. They include, but are not limited to:

• 1 million dollars per incident for medical care costs covering the hospital and doctor’s bills, prescription medications, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and rental or purchase costs of devices like crutches, a cane, or a wheelchair
• If you are expected to have some level of disability as a result of your accident, the program will provide some temporary long-term disability payments to you
• If you are unable to return to work until fully healed from your injuries, you do qualify for up to 66% of your regular income
• If your injury does not allow you to return to work doing your former job, you can qualify for vocational training, training you for a new career and role, once you are cleared by your doctor to return to work

Can I File A Personal Injury Lawsuit Against My Employer For Being Injured On The Job?
In most regular work injury cases, you cannot sue your employer for being hurt at work. Worker’s compensation insurance is what is called an exclusive remedy for workplace injuries. What this means is that there is no proof of liability or fault to prove. If your employer contributed to or caused the hazard that led to your injuries, it can be discussed with your Kenmore Law Group Spanish speaking worker’s compensation lawyer. The answers from that discussion may permit a lawsuit if your company can has committed gross negligence.

Kenmore Law Group Policy On Upfront Costs For Clients
If you have to hire a Spanish speaking worker’s compensation lawyer in Bakersfield, Kern County, Delano, Ridgecrest, Wasco, Arvin or McFarland, Kenmore Law Group will not ask you for any money upfront to cover legal fees. If we do not win your claim or your lawsuit, you will not be billed for services at all. Please do not wait to contact Kenmore Law Group today. We want to help you with your workers compensation claim and to resolve the issues caused by this unfortunate workplace injury.