California Workers’ Compensation Articles

When You Can’t Go Back to the Job You Had Some work injuries heal and you return to the same job. Others end a career. A roofer with a permanently restricted shoulder, a nurse who can no longer lift patients, a heavy-equipment operator who can’t sit through a full shift — these workers recover as much as they’re going to recover, and the job they had is still gone. California has a benefit for exactly

The Letter That Says No Your doctor examined you, decided you need an MRI, or physical therapy, or a surgical consult, and submitted a request. Weeks later a letter arrives from a company you’ve never heard of, signed by a physician you’ve never met, in a state you may not live in, explaining that the treatment your doctor ordered is not medically necessary. That letter is a utilization review decision, and it is one of

The Question Everyone Asks in Month Four The first few months of a workers’ compensation claim are consumed by immediate problems: getting treatment authorized, getting the first check, figuring out whether your job will still be there. Then somewhere around month four or five, a different question arrives, and it tends to arrive at two in the morning. How long does this last? It’s a fair question with a specific answer, and the answer has

One Doctor, One Report, and Most of Your Case California workers’ compensation cases are not usually decided by a dramatic day in court. They are decided by a medical report. When your treating doctor and the insurance company disagree about your injury — whether it’s work-related, how badly you’re hurt, whether you can go back to your old job — the dispute gets sent to a medical-legal evaluator. That evaluator writes a report, and that

Why Filing Your Workers’ Comp Claim Correctly Matters If you’ve been hurt at work, filing a claim for work injury is your path to receiving medical care and replacing lost wages. Here’s what you need to know right away: Quick Steps to File Your Claim: Report your injury to your supervisor immediately (within 30 days in California). Get medical treatment and tell providers it’s work-related. Complete the DWC-1 form your employer must give you within