Customer Reviews

California Worker's Comp: How To Take Charge When You're Injured On The Job

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Anyone involved in a Workers Comp claim, even if you already have an attorney, will benefit from reading this book. It's lengthy, but very worthwhile. This book will give you all the information you will need to make good decisions and to know what to expect during the whole process. You will find information that your attorney may not tell you! You need to know all of your options as well as your responsibilities.

I was injured at work a few months back and dozens of people have since told me the Governator's changes to Workers Comp came at the detriment of the injured worker. And my experience has certainly echoed that fact -- intentional and erroneous delays by the insurance company, stonewalling virtually any and all medical treatment, blatantly disregarding my health and well-being in the name of profit -- it's completely ridiculous, and several doctors themselves have agreed.

I attended a seminar hosted by my local Workers Comp office and they pushed me to hire a lawyer and sue the insurance company -- in effect, the State of California told me to sue the insurance company because of their blatant negligence. And all this because the Governator wanted California to be a friendlier place for corporations to do business. Well, that's all fine and dandy, but the changes came at the expense of the injured worker, and few will discover what a heinous mess this all is until a crisis arises. When an emergency hits, the last thing an injured worker should worry about is getting screwed by insurance companies. But the world is filled with injustice, and knowledge is power, so this book has proven to be a lifeline.

I found this book to be both daunting and incredibly informative at the same time. I easily get overwhelmed by all this since it depicts exactly what I'm living, and will likely be forced to continue to live with the remainder of my life. But this Nolo book has been very helpful in clarifying questions and concerns that even my lawyer wasn't able to subdue.

If you're wondering if you need this book or an attorney, my answer is simple -- get this book AND and attorney. You'll need both and will probably still get screwed.

What a shame Workers Comp in California has been messed up for an entire generation. Hopefully someone who isn't in the pocket of the insurance lobby comes along and fixes this soon. It'll be too late for me and countless others, but something needs to be done to repair this fiasco.

Bottom Line -- if you are amongst those unfortunate enough to be injured at work in the state of California, getting this book isn't an option -- it's a necessity.

I like what one previous reviewer wrote, "Everyone seems to go by the rule don't ask and don't tell where everything is a secret." When you get hired or injured, companies don't often hand you a pamphlet on how to file a workers comp claim, even though they are essentially required to do so. No one wants their insurance rates to go up so no one wants you to file. If you are injured on the job, the small amount that you pay for this 600 page, but easily understood, book could be returned to you many times over.

Even if you don't file, it is nice to know your rights and this book informs you every step of the way. For example, did you know you might qualify for increased benefits if your employer's seriously improper action or inaction -- such as failure to remedy an obvious safety violation (maybe even one you brought to their attention) led to your injury? However, successful petitions based on serious and willful misconduct are very rare. You also might be eligible to file a separate claim if your employer discriminated against you because you asserted your right to file a claim. Again, discrimination is hard to prove.

One type of claim that might be fast growing is sickness as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals, for example, a maid required to use a cleaning solution that makes her break out in a rash or brings on asthma-like symptoms. Sometimes is is difficult to determine how much of your disability is due to an injury on the job and how much is due to other factors. Your doctor must address this issue in their report.

One of the basics is the need to report your injury to your employer within 30 days of the time you knew of "should have known" that a disability was caused by work. One exception is if your employer knew of your injury from another source, like you complained to your supervisor about it. The book suggests you keep a "pain diary" and tells you how to do it.

Keep in mind that it may be months before you realize the link between your injury and your job. For example, at one point in my career I was exposed to a lot of toxins in the workplace. It took months of illness before I finally realized the connection (after cracking my ribs from coughing). Fortunately, my employer was immediately able to provide a reasonable accommodation that reduced my symptoms to the point that a workers comp claim wasn't warranted. If I had filed a claim, my doctor might have determined it was okay to return to work under "limited duties" or a "modified" work order to reduce my exposure. The book runs through how to document time off, how to work with your doctor and be involved in your own treatment. The book also touches on other avenues, such as filing under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.

The author tells you how to file an injury report, a DWC-1 form. You must file your claim within one year of the date of the injury if the company denied responsibility for your injury or within five years if the company provided benefits (paid temporary disability or medical treatment). Another factor taken into consideration, the statute of limitations doesn't begin to run until you learn of the right to file.

A large portion of the book is given over to rating your disability, figuring out a settlement amount, negotiating a settlement, preparing your case, going to trial, how to file and serve documents, appeals, forms etc. and even a section of case laws. Even if you hire a lawyer, you'll find this Nolo Press book invaluable... and, of course, they can even help you with that.

I read about this book online line from other readers. It's a very informative book to have to get to know your way around worker's comp. I have been going through the worker's comp system and found that not to many people including doctor's are willing to give you any information about what might happen in a person's case. Everyone seems to go by the rule don't ask and don't tell where everything is a secret. Up until I purchased this book I got most of my info from workers who had been through the system and compared notes with them. I had sought info online from worker's comp blogs and found them to be somewhat uninformative or not helpful at all. This book will help you get what steps should be followed under the worker's comp guidlines that your claims adjuster should be following but, probably won't tell you.

If you attempt to navigate the insane world of California Workers Comp as an injured worker you will have a much better chance with the help of this terrific book. It gives timelines and language that is necessary to help you cope with a system that is stacked against you... even with an attorney's help this book is totally valuable for you to learn this complex system.

I strongly recommend that you order this book on day 2 of your work injury and hire an attorney who specializes in w/c injury on the same day... you'll need both !!

Got this after spouse injured. We don't want an adversarial relationship with his employer. Neither do we have the knowledge to understand this complex system without help and this book delivers. Our only regret was we should have purchased this at the onset of the injury. Don't wait - get his now!

Nolo's guide to Calfiornia Workers' Comp is an excellent how-to guide for anyone involved with workers comp in California. It is written with minimal legal-ese (probably at a 12th grade level), but with enough detail that the nuances of the law are not lost. There's enough detail and descriptions of the various processes and forms that a person could reasonably make it through a claim without a lawyer. That said, there can be many situations where a lawyer will still be needed--so don't assume this guide will replace legal counsel in every case.

There are plenty of examples on how to fill out legal forms, step-by-step lists of actions you must take to protect your legal rights, and specific advice on how to deal with an employer (such as negotiating a settlement). Even if you resort to getting a lawyer, this guide will help you understand the steps your lawyer will most likely take and explain the relevant laws in plain English. The guide even gives you advice on finding a lawyer.

The main issue with the book is that it is written in such a way to make it sound like the employee has more rights than the employer in many situations. This typical of Nolo books when the law has any ambiguity--books for employers write as if the law favors the employer, and books for employees write as if the law favors the employee. I understand the need for making the reader confident when fighting for his or her rights, but Nolo needs to do a better job of clarifying when the law is ambiguous versus when the employee does actually have the advantage. I cannot cite any specific examples (I have not read the book for employers), but I saw very few caveats regarding ambiguity in the law as to an employee's rights.

One other note. It's worth checking out the book from a local library or buying a copy of the book even before you are injured. There are some time-critical actions that you must take in the event of a workers comp claim and some actions you should take prior to a claim to protect your rights. For example, you must report within 30 days an injury or you may lose some rights. You should also designate your personal physician to treat you in the event of an injury at work prior to reporting an injury. Many of these rights are supposed to be outlined your initial employment paperwork, but some employers provide difficult to understand materials or simply choose to ignore the law.

Excellent book for anyone dealing with Workers' Comp and is involved in a disability case.

As a huge fan of NOLO books, the California Worker's Comp edition does not disappoint. This guide is written in a very easy to follow format and is very organized. You can search the index for your specific need or read through each chapter. I found it to be very thorough and there are many, many issues that I did not know the answer to until researching through this book. Highly recommend.

I'm a big fan of NOLO books. In general they are well laid out, easy to read and understand, and comprehensive. While the best book on Illinois Workers' Compensation law is definitely How To Win A Worker's Compensation Claim In Illinois, this book is the best guide for California workers who have been injured and need advice. I would add that you're still probably best off getting an attorney, but at least you'll go into your case armed with knowledge that will help you understand what your attorney is doing, and decide whether he or she is doing a good job fighting for you.