Long Beach Knee Injuries Attorney

Workers’ compensation can be a valuable lifeline for anyone who suffers an injury on the job in Long Beach, CA. The state enforces some of the strictest and most comprehensive workers’ compensation laws in the country, requiring every employer to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage. As a result, if you are injured while working or acquire an injury from performing your job duties, you have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim and collect compensation for your medical expenses and lost income.

Representing Long Beach, CA, Knee Injury Victims

Knee injuries are relatively common causes of workers’ compensation claims in Long Beach, CA. While some of these injuries will heal completely with time, rest, and effective medical care, others can pose long-term complications to those who experience them. When a worker suffers a knee injury, they can face a host of problems, potentially finding it very difficult to keep up with their usual job duties. If your recent knee injury occurred at work, a workers’ compensation claim can potentially cover your medical expenses and provide some relief from lost income if you cannot work for an extended period while you recover.

Pratt Williams has substantial experience handling difficult workers’ compensation claims on behalf of clients in the Long Beach, CA, area. We understand that facing a workplace injury and addressing the aftermath can be extremely stressful. You are likely to have many questions if you must file a workers’ compensation claim for a knee injury. Whatever your case entails, it will be much easier to navigate your claim proceedings with an experienced Long Beach workplace knee injury lawyer assisting you.

Why Should I Hire a Long Beach Workplace Knee Injury Lawyer?

You do not technically need to hire a lawyer to file a workers’ compensation claim in California, but it will be much easier to navigate the claim process with an experienced attorney on your side. You will also be more likely to maximize your total recovery. In addition, the right Long Beach workplace knee injury attorney handling your case could identify opportunities to take further legal action and enhance your recovery.

Working with an experienced lawyer means you will have a reliable guide for all stages of your legal proceedings. Your legal team will help you file your claim forms, gather any supporting documents you need to submit to the insurance carrier, and help you address any disputes that arise regarding your claim. In addition, some injured workers will have grounds for civil actions against specific parties responsible for causing their knee injuries, and effective legal counsel will be essential for these legal efforts as well.

Experienced Workplace Injury Knee Attorney Will Focus on Your Needs

When you choose Pratt Williams to represent you in a knee injury case, we will thoroughly explore every detail of your claim, helping you identify the exact cause of your injury and determining all of the available options for legal recourse. When it comes to your workers’ compensation claim, our team has years of experience dealing with the workers’ compensation insurance carriers operating in Long Beach, CA, and we know how these organizations tend to handle knee injury claims. In addition, if we exhaust your compensation options with your workers’ compensation claim, we will look to see if there is room for further legal action, such as a civil claim against your employer or a third-party personal injury claim for the party responsible for causing your knee injury.

Ultimately, the right Long Beach workplace knee injury lawyer can positively influence the outcome of your experience with the workers’ compensation claim process. Pratt Williams takes time to learn as much as possible about every client we represent. Our goal is to help each client approach their case with confidence and maximize their recovery as much as California law allows.

Common Issues With Knee Injuries

Knee injuries can be incredibly debilitating. Some of these injuries result from acute traumatic accidents, such as slip and fall incidents, vehicle accidents, and crushing injuries in dangerous workplaces. However, knee injuries can also develop over time due to repetitive stress. Ultimately, if your knee injury happened at work, or if you acquired a knee injury by performing your job duties, you have the right to seek workers’ compensation benefits for the injury.

The knee is a critical component of the human musculoskeletal system. The knees assist with balance, lifting, ambulation, and many forms of movement. When the knee is injured, the victim can feel quite debilitated. They may have trouble walking unassisted, face multiple rounds of surgery to correct the injury, or struggle with persistent symptoms that interfere with their ability to work and manage day-to-day responsibilities at home. In addition, knee injuries can easily cause troublesome symptoms such as chronic pain, reduced flexibility, and other issues that interfere with the ability to work and handle everyday tasks at home.

When a knee injury happens from a specific traumatic incident at work, it is generally easy for the victim to prove that their injury qualifies for workers’ compensation coverage. All injuries in the workplace are eligible for workers’ compensation, but there are exceptions. For example, if you caused your own injury due to working while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or through your own egregious negligence, your employer’s insurance carrier may be unwilling to cover your injury.

If you acquired your knee injury from repetitive stress at work, you might have more trouble proving your injury qualifies for workers’ compensation benefits. You must prove you acquired your knee injury from performing your job duties. You are also responsible for reporting symptoms and adverse events related to an acquired knee injury as soon as they appear. Any delay will cast doubt on the legitimacy of your claim and could delay the insurance company’s processing of it.

Knee injuries can prevent victims from performing their job duties effectively, and these injuries often require extensive ongoing medical care. As a result, the victim may be unable to keep up with the typical demands of their position and could be forced to take lower-paying work while they recover. It’s also possible for a knee injury to result in permanent damage that prevents the victim from working in various positions in the future. If you acquired a knee injury at work, your Long Beach workplace knee injury lawyer can help you determine your eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits and guide you through the claim process.

How Do Workers’ Compensation Benefits Work?

Workers’ compensation typically offers two forms of relief to injured workers. First, the claimant can expect their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier to cover all the medical treatment costs they incur to heal from their injury and manage their symptoms. For example, some knee injuries result from traumatic accidents, and victims will require immediate emergency care. Others develop over time, and victims will need to prove that their injuries were acquired from performing their job duties. The second form of benefit offered by workers’ compensation is disability coverage.

Many workers’ compensation claimants will qualify to receive weekly benefits paid at up to two-thirds of the claimant’s average weekly wage. For example, if you typically earn $1,000 per week at work, you may receive about $750 in disability benefits from workers’ compensation. In most cases, workers’ compensation benefits can continue for up to 104 weeks or until the claimant heals completely from their injury and they can return to work.

There are some exceptions to this, however. For example, if a claimant suffered a catastrophic injury that caused permanent harm, they might be unable to return to work at all, or it may be unrealistic for them to expect to train for new job duties in a reasonable time. It’s also possible for the victim of a knee injury to be able to work, but they may be unable to earn as much income due to their injury. Therefore, permanent disability benefits are typically reserved for the most severe workplace injuries, and partial disability benefits are likely when a claimant can still handle alternative work after a knee injury.

Can I Keep Working While Receiving Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Your recent knee injury may make it challenging to keep up with your job duties, but you could qualify for alternative work. It is possible to continue working while receiving workers’ compensation benefits for your knee injury, but you must be cautious. It’s a good idea to ask your employer if there are alternative responsibilities you can handle at work while your knee injury heals. If you continue to work while receiving workers’ compensation benefits, you must report your earnings to the insurance company. Therefore, your benefits may fluctuate based on the amount you can continue earning while you recover.

If you are caught performing job duties that you claimed you were unable to perform due to your knee injury, or if you fail to report earnings or update your supervisor on your medical progress, you could face an accusation of workers’ compensation fraud. Although continuing to work while you recover from your knee injury may suit you and your family’s interests, it is vital to consult your Long Beach workplace knee injury lawyer to determine the best way to go about this and to ensure you meet all the legal requirements set forth by the workers’ compensation insurance carrier.

Can I Sue for a Knee Accident I Injured at Work?

In most cases, an injured employee cannot file a personal injury lawsuit against their employer for a workplace injury. However, California workers’ compensation laws aim to protect employers as much as employees, and you can only hold your employer liable for your injury under certain conditions. For example, if your employer failed to secure workers’ compensation insurance as required by law, you would have grounds for a personal injury claim because you cannot file for workers’ compensation benefits. You would also have the right to file a personal injury claim if your employer intentionally caused your injury or if a co-worker intentionally injured you somehow.

Many people who sustain injuries at work have grounds for third-party personal injury claims. This type of claim could come into play if a party outside of your workplace caused your work-related injury. This type of claim is similar to any other personal injury lawsuit, and you can potentially secure compensation for damages that workers’ compensation won’t cover. For example, your workers’ compensation claim may cover your medical expenses and some of your lost income. However, a third-party personal injury claim could allow you to obtain compensation for lost income not covered by workers’ compensation insurance and compensation for your pain and suffering, which workers’ compensation typically won’t cover.

When you are struggling with the effects of a knee injury you sustained at work or acquired due to the nature of your work, Pratt Williams can help you navigate the workers’ compensation claim process with confidence and explore the full scope of the recovery options available to you. Our team has extensive experience handling complex injury claims for our clients in the Long Beach, CA, area, and we can leverage this experience on your behalf.

In every case we accept, we carefully review the details of our client’s situation and help them complete the workers’ compensation claim process. In addition, we can handle correspondence with insurance carriers on behalf of our clients and assist them in compiling additional legal actions when their situations call for these measures. Our firm has experience with workers’ compensation cases and personal injury claims in Long Beach. If you have the opportunity to take further legal action outside of the workers’ compensation system, we can provide valuable support and guidance for these efforts.

The sooner you secure legal representation, the easier it will be for you to succeed with your knee injury claim. So, if you’re ready to discuss your situation with a compassionate and reliable Long Beach workplace knee injury lawyer, contact Pratt Williams today and schedule a case review from our team.