In California, a person injured on the job is generally entitled to no-fault benefits through a workers’ compensation claim. Disputes can sometimes arise over the existence, nature or severity of an employee’s injuries. California’s QME (Qualified Medical Evaluator) process exists to allow an independent medical professional to come in and make an assessment. Once a […]
On November 17, 2021, the California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) officially invited all stakeholders to provide ideas, comments, and other input on strategies for improving quality of care and efficiency of the state’s workers’ compensation program. In this article, our Sacramento workers’ compensation defense attorneys provide a more detailed overview of the public invasion […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit communities all around the globe. The outbreak has been a challenge for employers. According to the California Workers’ Compensation Institute, more than 166,000 COVID-19 related workers’ compensation claims have been filed in the state as of November 1, 2021. The top industry for COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims are as follows: […]
In California, workers’ compensation is a sole legal option for injured employees. In effect, this means that someone hurt on the job generally cannot file a personal injury lawsuit directly against their employer. However, California Labor Code Section 4553 allows a worker to seek additional compensation if they were harmed because of “serious and willful […]
Earlier this year, California lawmakers passed Senate Bill 788 (SB-788)—reform legislation that would, among other things, prohibit “discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation” in the determination for permanent disability ratings. If enacted, the law would have had significant implications for workers’ compensation claims. However, the legislation has been vetoed. In […]
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, the COVID-19 surge driven by the Delta variant started to recede in California in September. Nonetheless, transmission of the COVID-19 virus remains a public health issue in Central California, throughout the United States, and around the globe. With this in mind, California regulators have once again […]
According to a report from Cal Matters, some questions are being raised about the state of California’s long-standing “grand bargain” between employers and employees on the matter of workers’ compensation. The report calls the grand bargain “under siege” in the era of the COVID-19 virus. In this blog post, our Fresno workers’ compensation defense lawyers […]
On September 1, 2021, the California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) announced that in-person hearings are scheduled to return in 30 days. As of October 1, 2021, in-person workers’ compensation hearings will return for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in California in March 2020. In this blog post, our California […]
According to data published by the California Department of Public Health, the Delta variant has quickly become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the state. It is now responsible for most COVID-19 cases in California. With the Delta variant surge has come another spike in COVID-19-related workers’ compensation claims. Here, our Fresno workers’ compensation defense […]
According to reporting from Fortune Magazine, long-haul COVID-19 is creating some workers’ compensation-related challenges in California and throughout the United States. Below, our California workers’ compensation defense attorneys discuss long-haul COVID-19 and workers’ compensation claims. What is Long-Haul COVID-19? Also referred to simply as “long COVID” and “post-COVID-19 syndrome,” long-haul COVID-19 is a complex condition […]
